


Dark Side of The Sun

by Ncj700



Series: Love Somebody AU [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: #And rover, #Bogh is MY MVP, #If keith and pidge dont get their meet-cute, #Romelle and Matt do, #Ryner is the MVP, #more drugs, #slow and steady wins the race, #we need fluff to soothe the pain thats coming, #you thought I forgot, Aftermath of Torture, Aftermath of Violence, Arson, As if Pidge would go quiet into that good night, Attempted GRAPHIC TORTURE, Blindfolds, Bogh is Mean™, Bogh is the same arsehole we all love to hate as usual, Bombing, Cause it isn’t going to come up often, Cheaters going to cheat, DEFCON ONE, Death Threats, Eye Torture, F/M, FUck this fuck that and also this and sendak and bogh for good measure, Fuck You Bogh, Fuck You Sendak, Gen, Hard luck Katie, His life choices are invalidated, I am going to milk whatever soulmate shit I can, I can't believe I'm saying this but LISTEN TO BOGH, I don’t care if it's cliche, I'M SORRY PIDGE, I'm Surprised There Isn't a Tag for That, I'm so sorry for this one, IT'S FATE OK?, I’m not joking, Just Not Right Now, Katie please stop talking about your Soulbond with and Antisoulbond terrorist, Kidnapping, Lahn is a dickhead of the highest calibre, Let’s not go that far down the depraved rabbit hole, M/M, More Drugs, No kinks allowed, Non-Consensual Drug Use, PIDGE LISTEN TO YOUR BROTHER, PIDGE THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE CHOICES, PIDGE WHAT ARE YOU DOING, PTSD, Panic Attack, Pidge is conflicted and paranoid, Pidge is trying, Pidge pick your battles better, Pidge that's not listening, Pidge your stubborn is showing, Psychological Conditoning, Psychological Torture, Rejection of Suicidal Thoughts, Restrainst, Rolo didn't sign up for this but he's trying anyway, Sendak is a psychopath okay?, Sendak is going to get his own very special circle of hell, Sendak is not Pleased, Sendak is twitchy, Sensory Deprivation, Soulmate AU, Suicidal Thoughts, TAKE THAT SENDAK YOU BITCH, THAT'S STILL NOT LISTENING, That’s allowed #eventually, Threat of Burning Alive, Threats of Violence, Trauma, Unless Sendak gets terminally punished, WE BELIEVE IN HAPPY ENDINGS, While these two are in the immediate vicinity of each other, You thought I was joking about the tags, also Lahn, bodyguards turned kidnappers are infuriating, but bogh is right, but he's definitley not Katie's, but this is arguably worse, but yes!, cigarette burns, descriptions of torture, extotion, he has to be if Sendak is more reasonable, his existence is forefeit, i debated the use of chloroform and going full trope, i would like to formally request that Sendak goes and crawls into a hole to die, implied stockholm syndrome, just this one time, not here, or that kink is happiness and fluff, please leave the stage and return Pidge's dignity on your way out, research tells me its actually useless for this situation, suffocation, terorrism, the tiny ones are always the loud ones, the writer is gonna apologise a lot this fic, time to up the ante, we need an idiot and his dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 112,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22696924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ncj700/pseuds/Ncj700
Summary: The words ‘...you're safe now’ poked out from behind a cluster of bamboo charity wristbands Katie Holt had been wearing for several few weeks as her newest mark-covering accessories as she sat and ruminated on the pros and cons of fateful words that had yet to make her the trouble magnet her parents lived in fear of.
Relationships: Colleen Holt/Sam Holt, Keith & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Pidge | Katie Holt, Matt Holt & Romelle, Matt Holt/Romelle
Series: Love Somebody AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624501
Comments: 231
Kudos: 144





	1. Never Saw It Coming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LuceCiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuceCiel/gifts).



> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

The words **‘...** **_you're safe now_ ** **’** poked out from behind a cluster of bamboo charity wristbands Katie Holt had been wearing for several few weeks as her newest mark-covering accessories.

From the window of her office, she could see Teludav Tower, a spiralling, sprawling cylinder and business estate that rose high amongst the towers and skyscrapers of Marchanda’s business district; the flat outer plane rose from its base to its flat squat tip, earning the name from the bulky shape, and reputation from the number of smaller businesses that had been purchased then demolished to make way for its construction.

It peeked out from its neighbours on a backdrop of the gathering clouds that came with the start of storm season as she sat and ruminated on the pros and cons of fateful words that had yet to make her the trouble magnet her parents lived in fear of.

She was supposed to be going through her project, based on her father’s neutraliser tech, and checking she had listed all the components that made an effective counter to zaiforge chemicals; Katie was instead putting it off for fear of making her hash job of the work worse.

It was her own fault for bulldozing her way through sleep with black coffee as deadline day approached, and getting distracted by Yalmor Rescue Association emails—‘ _adopt one of Terra’s most endangered mammals today!_ ’—but it was still a nightmare she didn't need, and especially not when an irritating older brother who changed her passwords to stupid things like quotes from soul-romance films (‘ _A soulmate is like a best friend, but more!_ ’) had been hacking her interface again. 

It hadn’t taken long to work out—it was the same stupid code that they’d made up as kids to play duos in _Kill-Bot Phantasm: ReLOADED!!—_ but it was the fact that she had to do it in the first place that was aggravating.

Hacking back into her own computer was never fun, and she grumbled and muttered all the best ways to get back at Matt the next time their paths crossed at dinner time as she made her tweaks to her essays as she reworded and retyped over five thousand words on the chemical processes on the creation of zaiforge, and how the neutralisers counteracted them.

For example, Xanthorium was _supposed_ to be a highly explosive mineral high in nitrate salts. She had the information listed as a molecular compound that reacted to extreme pressure. That wasn’t Xanthorium.That was Heximite. Instead, under Heximite, she had the details of Red Syntian Nitrate (an extremely volatile gas that combusted under amplified light emissions) and under _that_ , were the details that was supposed to be for Xanthorium.

Trying to forget about Matt’s pranks, and her never-ending thesis, she absently wondered if she could sneak out of the building for her lunch to compare notes, get some fresh eyes on the work, and cry over the inevitable grammatical errors that didn’t register as errors (because they were technically still correctly spelled words) she kept finding with Vrek. 

Shiro’s substitute looked like he’d fallen asleep reading on his datapad but the chance was unlikely. Bogh might not be as good as Shiro in knowing when she needed a twenty-metre distance for a bit of privacy, but he was good at his job. 

He had been working alongside Shiro for about two years, learning her basic schedule and how the whole body guarding thing worked, slowly taking more of the days as Shiro and Curtis progressed with their adoption application. Today was his turn running her ‘ _protection detail_ ’ as they called it. 

She snorted, blowing a couple of strands of hair that had escaped the plaits pulled around and clipped into the back of her neck on top of the rest. It even sounded ridiculous. 

Tucking the stray strands behind her ears, she turned back to the diagrams on her screen and the parts on her desk; she had better things to do, like her thesis project. Or just general work. It might not have been her first choice, but her Dad’s company had a busy microtech department, and trying to find the time for both her specialisation project and her normal work was a battle she wasn't sure she was winning at the moment.. 

Her project was due on the 7th of July; it was the 5th of July, and while she had completed it, Katie still needed to use her remaining time to check her material, look for spelling errors, and all those other infuriating final tweaks, like the boredom involved in double checking her bibliography and reference lists. Now she had found the dumb mix ups caused by sleep deprivation and caffeine overload.

At least working for her father didn’t mean she lost out on educational resources or had a poor work environment, and she lost herself to her tinkering and typing, swapping between her model and the written thesis. Several hours passed, and she was so absorbed that she forgot about her bodyguard until he looked up from his eBook.

“Are you planning to meet up with anyone again this evening?” Bogh asked.

The sudden question in the stillness of her lab made her jump about six feet in the air, and throw the tweezers, small screws, and metal plates from her hand. She nearly fell off her chair and Bogh winced as they both stared at the mess once she had collected herself.

“...If not, I’d like to step out in a bit to call Ladnok so she knows whether to expect me home,” he added, tucking away his datapad.

“Oh, no, I don’t have anything planned,” Katie sighed, looking mournfully at the scattered parts and getting out of her chair to collect them from their new home on the floor. “Allura’s got a few exams coming up, and Vrek’s doing as well as I am with his thesis, so we’re all hitting the books this weekend. ”

“You're not going your parents later?” he asked, getting to his feet and bending to help, pausing only to send a message on his phone; Katie assumed it was Ladnok. “You haven't been for a few weeks. I can wait and take you over after you're done studying? ”

“Not if I can help it,” she grumbled. “Mum's just going to pester me about my love life,” she shrugged, stretching her arms up over her head before bending down to pick up the pieces she’d thrown all over the place. “Then I'll remind her that people don't like my overgrown babysitters, and we'll argue. Then dad will promise to loosen up a little, I'll pretend I buy it to save the drama, and the rest of the evening will pass in silence.” Katie paused and looked up from collecting the screws. “No offence intended,” she added. “I just don’t really want to deal with that today.”

“Avoiding them isn't going to make things better; if you mention it's been a long day they might give you a bit of a break, _and_ you won't have to cook,” he suggested, handing over some pieces he'd collected.

Katie snorted, taking the pile from his hands. “Somehow, I doubt that,” she said, tone dry, and he chuckled. “It's just been getting worse lately because of the Altea trip Allura’s planning. “They’re just _paranoid_ ,” she muttered. 

“I hate to say it, but all parents are paranoid, Princess,” the burly man chuckled, bending down beside her to help pick up all the clutter she’d thrown in her surprise.

Katie glowered at him; she hated nicknames, but he and her brother both had a fondness for them that she was destined to suffer with. 

“It’s their nature. They’re just trying to look out for you the best way they can, even if you're an adult; it's a job that never stops. I know I'm the same with my lot." He sighed then, looking up as if for cosmic guidance. “I still have to call Vrek to tell him to do his laundry at least once a week, and he's _twenty-five_ next month.”

“Vrek's just lazy, and you haven't hired him a permanent second shadow,” Katie pointed out. “Mum’s a botanist and sure, dad’s done pretty well with security tech, but it's not like they're ambassadors or anything—what exactly are they afraid of happening?”

She wished she had the justification of being someone of more social importance, like a regional or country leader’s daughter. Then at least the paranoid, over-protective streak that had spawned with her words would be semi-reasonable, but she wasn’t.

“Speaking as a parent myself? _Everything_ ,” he laughed. “You’ll be a Princess to them no matter who you are or how old you get. As for your mother, maybe you could talk to your dad? He could ask her to back off a bit.” 

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Katie shook her head, reaching under the bench from the last few drives that had gone astray. “Dad’s been stressed out for weeks. He’s been holing himself up in his office arguing with a client.”

“Well, at least he’s giving the problem due diligence. Has he been under stress for long?” 

“I guess? Maybe a month or so? More? I heard him shouting down the phone last time I stopped over for dinner, and that was last month I think?” Katie shrugged. “I don't know, it's none of my—”

Somewhere an alarm began to blare, its siren shrill in her ears as it shrieked its warning throughout the building. Starting, Katie clamped her hands over her ears, looking around in confusion for a moment, before she recognised the noise.

Was that the fire alarm? Seriously? _Right now?_ She was halfway _done!_ She hadn't seen anything about a fire drill from HR in her emails! Unless the alarm had been pulled accidentally? Or one of the labs could have had a minor incident. That was possible too, she guessed, but she’d never heard of one before.

“Shit,” she groaned, starting to her feet and heading for the door. “A fire drill? Right now? If this is some kind of fate-damned joke—”

Before she could put her hand on the handle to see what was going on in the hallway, several things happened.

First, a hand first slammed the door back closed. Secondly, then the same hand grabbed her by the shoulder, twisting her around and slamming her back flat against it. Thirdly, Bogh’s hand clamped over her mouth, pressing her head painfully into the back of the door.

Screaming through the onslaught, she grappled, trying to pull his grip away, trying to throw him off. “Sorry; no jokes Princess,” he said ignorant and oblivious to her struggling.

She tried to kick him, tried to shout for help, but the alarm was shrieking over any commotion the sudden accost was making, and even one-handed, Bogh was too strong. She couldn't get out of the grip. He stepped in closer, and Katie found herself trapped immobile between the door and her bodyguard’s bulk. 

“It’s a distraction,” he continued, using a free hand to pull something from his pocket, jamming an arm against her neck to hold her in place as he searched with the other hand. “Sorry Katie, but your father needs some motivation.”

It didn’t take the sight of the small hypodermic he unstopped to work out what he meant. Katie managed to angle her head away from his arm, just long enough to scream a few times before his hand clamped around her mouth and jaw.

She felt the prick in the side of her neck for, and beneath the blare of the siren, her struggles weakened as whatever drug he’d laced her with began to work into her consciousness. Her vision became darker at the edges, hazing out as her limbs went limp, forcibly relaxed by the drug. 

The last thing she felt was Bogh hefting her into his arms, with none of the reassurance that gesture should have provided; only a heavy fear in her chest before everything went black.

* * *

Katie woke up not because she arose naturally from the slumber that she’d been forcefully induced into, but because of the ache of wailing sirens in her head, and the other side effects of being drugged.

Of course, that knowledge came later, with hindsight. When she awoke, she had no idea what was going on, and at first, it took her a few minutes to even realise her situation beyond feeling absolutely terrible. 

Nausea crept through her, churning in her stomach, and her heartbeat pounded inside her head. It felt like her whole body was shaking, and every muscle from her head to her ankles ached in protest, and it was hard to see anything at first. 

She felt horrendously ill, but as she forced herself awake, Katie realised she was not in fact hallucinating the noise; she could hear sirens somewhere. Fire ones? She couldn’t tell, but there were a lot of them. They pierced her ears, adding to the foggy headache that had settled on her, but cried out with familiarity.

She felt like utter shit. What was going on? She had been in the lab office with Bogh and… what had happened? Everything was so foggy. Just a mess of lights and colours as she tried to remember something, anything. There had been sirens then too. No, the fire alarm? She was sure she had heard something. Then… she couldn’t remember anything after that.

How long had she been asleep? It was so dark that it had to be nighttime already. Had she gone back home? She must have, if she was feeling this sick. Her overgrown babysitter would definitely have taken her home. Blinking in the dim light, she tried to sit up, hoping it might help clear her head. 

She needed to find out what was going on. Had she collapsed at work? As she moved, her efforts were thwarted by her own faltering equilibrium, and lack of balance when she tried to move her hands to steady herself. 

Katie got halfway up, leaning away from the pillows she had been slumped against, before she toppled over, slamming onto cold, uncomfortable metal that was definitely not her bedroom floor, or her bed.

Gathering her thoughts back from the swirling threat of nausea and disconcerting dizziness that took hold again with the fall, the stumble shattered the fog in her head, and broke the lethargy with a seize of panic on her heart when she realised she couldn't move; she couldn’t _move_ . _Why couldn’t she move?_

Where was she? She couldn't remember what had happened since… she couldn’t remember anything! Trying to stand up again, she toppled over again into the hard metal floor and tensed in fright and fear as she tried to focus a bit more, specifically, on herself.

Mind racing, Katie she tried to stand again. Once again, even trying to roll over to get into a sitting position, she failed to find the purchase and balance she needed to move, and her head felt like it was swimming from nausea and dizziness with each attempt, but slowly, she began to work out what was keeping her from moving.

Her arms hadn’t reached out to steady her because they were folded behind her back, wrists forced up towards her shoulders, uncomfortably crossed one atop the other and tied at her wrists to tight rope wound around her upper arms; they tugged on it when she tried to move them, and something was stuck tight across her mouth. 

Looking around and shuffling, trying to determine how much her range of motion had been restricted she could see, and feel, more rope just above and below her knees, looped tight together between them, and more around her ankles.

That answered some questions, but not all of them. In fact, about the only thing she could judge from this was that she had been kidnapped. 

Heart thudding in her throat and panic ringing with its beat through her veins, Katie followed her next instinct, and writhed, trying to force the binds apart, pulling, reaching with her fingers to try and free herself. As she wracked and twisted, huffing and grumbling into the gag that kept her yelps muffled, she looked around, trying to place herself more, tried to make out something, anything that she could use to free herself. 

She couldn’t see much. It was too dark, and her eyes hadn’t adjusted yet. She could feel the metal floor pressing against her face where she had slumped, and thought she could see a couple of bags to one side, but nothing else was clear

It was no use. Struggling was probably just making the ropes tighter, and whoever had tied her up had pretty much neutralised her points of balance; with her hands pulled behind her, she had no way to steady herself, and they were tight. She couldn’t just yank on them and hope they loosened.

Curling in on herself in, she tried to calm the race of panic in her mind, recoup some clarity from the nausea and aches and dizziness that lingered. She had to stay calm. If she panicked, it would just get worse. With what she presumed was a lingering drug still swimming in her head and guts, it was hard enough just to see properly, to concentrate properly, let alone free herself. She couldn't even get an idea of where she was. 

Her eyes were slowly adjusting though, and she let herself lie prone, using the chill of the metal floor against her forehead to help cool herself down. She needed to focus. She needed to think, find a way out of whatever the hell was going on. 

Which begged the question, what the fuck _was_ going on? Why would someone want to Kidnap her? Were they going to kill her? Was she going to be sold in some fucked up sex ring? How could someone even manage that? Bogh and Shiro would never have let it happen! And how could someone get into her office? Or had it happened after work?

She couldn’t remember anything past working on her last minute edits. She didn’t remember going home, or walking out of the building, nothing. Taking another breath, she calmed herself again, concentrating on what she could remember.

She didn’t remember anything that ought to have alarmed her, perhaps been a warning… her head hurt trying to think, and everything felt mixed up, but she could remember the morning at least. 

She’d had porridge for breakfast. She’d gone to work. Shiro had a day off today, so it had been Bogh who met her that morning. The drive had been uneventful. Then she’d been in the office for most of the day until she heard those noises. It might have been the fire alarm, but that was where things got fuzzy, and things went dark, so someone must have grabbed her then, but how? 

The building security aside, Bogh had been following her all day! She’d seen him practically twist someone’s arm off when their pick-up lines went just over the line of annoying and into harassment. If someone had been trying to kidnap her, surely he would have intervened? That was his job!

True she’d never appreciated it before, but this was the kind of situation he and Shiro were supposed to prevent, right? She remembered the alarms going off, and if she tried, she also remembered a hand roughly grabbing her shoulder, but she couldn’t remember their face.

Maybe they had been in the office? It could be a hallucination, but she felt like it had been around the same time as the alarm, but there hadn’t _been_ anyone else in the office, so that couldn’t be right. It wasn’t important right now anyway—not yet. She knew she had been kidnapped, probably drugged too. For now it assessed the situation well enough.

The why was also a question, and while the thoughts of sex trafficking, rape and murder were initially the most worrying, Katie hoped beyond hope that it was to do with money. Her dad had a ton of it. That had to be it. She wasn’t some sort of political figure, so that couldn’t be it, and besides politics… well, she didn't know what she would do if it was for anything besides money. 

She didn’t want to think about it. She also needed to think less on how she’d got into this situation, and more on how to get herself out of it. Closing her eyes, she took a few breaths in hopes of calming down, working through the nausea, aches, pains and shivers. She couldn’t just freak out, she needed to stay calm. She wouldn't help herself at all if she just scared herself even more trying to apply logic to the unreal, terrifying situation she found herself in.

After a few more breaths, feeling a little less panicked, she noticed that the floor she was laid on was humming, vibrating a little. She was shivering like a leaf in a snowstorm, probably from the drugs and panic, but the floor definitely felt like it was moving. Ish. Just not in a particular direction. Slowly opening her eyes again, she took another look at the interior of her prison.

After a few squinted glances, she felt confident enough to guess that the dark interior surrounding her was that of a small, narrow hovervan. She could tell by the mechanism in the double back doors, and a sliding one to the left; the gentle but insistent rumbles of the engine as the vehicle waited above magnetic grids were familiar too. Dim light flashed through a few narrow, exposed parts of glass in the windows, where a haphazard black-out paint job hadn’t quite reached.

It could still be daytime, maybe late evening. Or she could be seeing the light from the interior of someone’s garage somewhere. There was really no way to know much about the outside of the van from the floor, but she could hear traffic. And sirens. Loud, piercing sirens that had probably woken her. Lots of sirens, and not just one kind. She could hear a high pitched orchestra of police, fire, and ambulance songs echoing nearby.

That told her she might be in a city, or a large town, and the van didn’t seem to be moving. If she could see out of the windows, she might have a bit more to go on. Looking at each one, she spotted a patch that was missing the blackout paint in one lower corner. It wasn’t much, but any chickens that hatched right now would be worth counting.

Could she reach it? If she could at least stand up she might get somewhere. Not far unless she could find something to cut the ropes, but finding out where she was would be a start.

Taking a deep breath, finding some manoeuvrability remaining in her stomach and back muscles, she finally forced herself to sit up. It was good progress, and she congratulated herself for it with a stop to catch her breath, eyeing the window. 

If she could slide over the floor then push herself up against the side of the van, she might be able to get to it without making too much noise. If someone who wasn’t supposed to heard her shuffling around, it would stop her plan in its tracks. Earlier she hadn’t even considered that, but if whoever had taken her was nearby, then she needed to be careful.

So, slowly, Katie pushed herself across the floor; she could still drag herself with her feet, digging her heels into toe floor and pulling herself over, or use them as leverage to push herself backwards. When she toppled herself over again, she simply rolled towards the side of the van. It felt like it took hours, and she’d never needed to throw up so badly in her life afterwards, but she managed it.

Pushing herself up the side of the van took more effort. The ropes around her legs made everything even more off balance when she tried to lean into the metal, shift herself upwards. She was lucky she didn’t topple over again in the process, but she succeeded in pushing herself up, and leant against the side of the van with as decent an angle she could expect, peering out of the gap.

The painted window hid most of the van interior from passers by, and the exterior from her. It didn't completely cover the inside of the window though; there was enough of a gap in the corner for her to squint through at her surroundings, and what she saw just made her more confused.

Rather than an unfamiliar garage or scenery passing by the gridway, she could see the side of the Voltedge building over the top of the surrounding traffic. It was surrounded by digital ticker tape, and there were firemen going past, and crowds of people. Shifting to try and look at a different angle, her stomach churned as she caught sight of the massive fire that had taken over the upper floors.

It glowed against the night sky, and while the van was a reasonable distance from the building, the glow was large enough to light up the street

“...ure this guy is the last one?”

A group of police officers crossed through the stationary cars moving towards something beyond the fraction of the scene she had been able to glimpse; their uniforms were the heavy–duty kind, and they had a dog, a huge shepherd mixed breed who barked at one of the handlers excitedly.

People. She had to get their attention. Screw being trying to avoid alerting anyone, she needed to get out, before she really did end up in someone’s house or garage, or worse. Confusion still surrounded her, but the one thing she knew for certain was that she far, far from any delusions of safety.

“...finished up on my end too. South side is all clear…”

Screaming at the top of her lungs, voice hidden by her restraints and the metal of the van, she tried banging on the side of the van—if she could make enough noise they might hear her—by slamming her side against it, but she could only see the mix of thick black ‘ _Bomb & Arson Team_’ vests fading into the distance.

The dog stopped his excited jumping, ears flickering and head turning toward the van. He cocked his head as she cried out again, before barking at his handler, the canine flicking back and forth between her, and the man in the Arson vest.

“...ood work guys. I think we can hand off to the relief teams...”

Katie slid to the floor, kicking and banging on the side of the van with her feet, hoping someone else passing might hear, then the floor trembled with the ignition of the magnetic engine, connecting to the travelling grid, and as the van began to move; jolted she was rolled across the floor and into the clutter surrounding her.

Something knocked hard against her head, and she couldn’t face the dizziness anymore—be it from fear or drugs or the whack from her fall, it was too much, and she blacked out with the rumble of the engine and wail of fire sirens in her ears.

* * *

And here's Part 3, with all the horrendous tags to boot.

If you're here then I assume you read the warnings. I _hope_ you read the warnings. BC this? Nothing. _Absolutely nothing_ ~~blame Luce she encouraged me.~~

Happy Valentines/Singles Awareness Day! 

Stay tuned for the next chapter soon :)


	2. Should Have Seen It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

A sleek penthouse door entering onto an open plan living room slid open, and Matthew Holt trudged inside, exhaustion sagging his shoulders and depleting his energy for anything but his face-forward flop over the sofa arm, and onto the cushions.

Between running for his life from explosions and fire, getting cleared and checked for smoke inhalation by the medics that had swarmed the plaza, and all the questions from the bomb squad and firefighters, the general chaos of the evacuation that had ensued after the Voltedge building had been attacked had been one of the most exhausting events of his life.

There was already a death count, which he had not heard anything new about, and the attack had left a lot of people in hospital. Nyma and Beezer, both from his floor had some pretty serious burns, and might require skin grafts.

He hadn’t spoken to his father all day—he’d been out at a meeting with someone in Griezian City—but he knew he’d made his way back home as soon as the news broke. Then he saw him again, catching a glimpse of him at the building speaking to reporters on the news while he was at the hospital.

One thing he did know for sure was that Katie wasn’t among the injured. If that had happened, his parents would have parked themselves in the hospital instead of speaking to reporters. That and Bogh was there. If his parents had heard something bad, they’d have been jamming his phone up with their freak-outs hours ago.

Still. She was his baby sister, and he had to admit, he had been worried for a while. He’d tried so many times to get their parents to let up on her, reminded them that if her words really did foretell the horrors they imagined then, whatever unpleasant situation she found herself in would work out by the implications of the very words themselves.

While Matt was not, unfortunately, unfamiliar with that kind of loss, and didn't really blame his parents their fears or want them to go through what he and Romelle had, he tried to keep both perspectives in mind

Recently especially, it had been hard not to take his sister's side, but for a moment, after the rescue workers that had found him and then helped him out of the burning building before darting straight back in for the people still trapped, he’d understood their fear. 

What if someone had said that to her, finding shelter in the burning building, only to be wrong? Lack of context was what drove his parents fear for his sister’s safety, and for the first time in a while, he was reminded of why they worried.

An excited pop tune started beeping and blaring from his phone, and he realised he hadn’t had a chance to speak to Romelle barring a couple of quick texts. Rolling onto his side, he assured himself he would catch up with the people he needed to before showering; he stunk of smoke and his wife would probably yell at him if the scent got stuck in the sofa.

‘ _Hey,’_ her bright voice said through the speaker as he held the device to his ear. ‘ _I just got your message saying they’d let you out of the hospital. How are you feeling? I saw them take you in the ambulance! Are you okay? I just got off scene? Do you need me to come get you?_ ’

“It’s okay, I figured you’d be dragged out for it, so I got a taxi,” he smiled; he wanted to ask if there was any news on what had happened, but knew better than to ask. “Doctor says if I have trouble breathing to head back up, but he seemed happy to let me go.” His eyes drifted over to the blank television screen. “Is it still bad up there? I haven’t looked at the news yet. Guessing you didn’t get time to talk to Kolivan with all this?”

‘ _Most of the fire is out_ ,’ Romelle said through a yawn of her own. ‘ _The night shifts are taking over now. I think everyone is out, too. Seven confirmed deaths, so far. And nope. I was going to just before forensics got called out, so he just went ‘_ Good, you’re already here! There’s a Purificationist attack in the business district! _’. I left the form to get leave sorted for October though, so that should get him up to speed by tomorrow. How’s everyone on your end?_ ’

“Mum called me while I was in the hospital. She was with dad. I don’t know about Katie.”

‘ _You haven’t heard from her?_ ’ Romelle asked, worry in her voice. ‘ _Not even from Bogh?_ ’

His sister had known his soul-mate longer than he had. They’d shared classes in college, and both sped through them thanks to their ridiculous genius. He and Romelle had met when Katie took him to the indie coffee shop Romelle had been working at during her masters. 

“I was about to phone her,” Matt blinked. “No-one freaked out so I assumed she was okay. You haven’t heard from her either I’m guessing?”

‘ _Not since she was complaining about you changing her passwords again this… yesterday morning._ ’

“I’ll call her,” he promised; he had planned to. Romelle had just caught him first, and honestly, it was a little weird that Bogh hadn’t messaged the family. Unless he’d been caught in the fire, or someone had lost their phone. Which was also extremely possible. 

Matt was lucky that his own had been in his suit pocket when the evacuation started, else he wouldn’t have been able to answer it, let alone phone anyone. 

“Are you on your way home now?” He asked.

‘ _Yeah, want me to grab takeaway?_ ’

Matt considered the question; he was hungry, and knew neither of them would be much bothered with cooking tonight, but he was also liable to fall asleep in the shower if he wasn’t careful.

“Fried rice and curry sauce?” he asked hopefully.

‘ _I’ll stop in at Xi’s,_ ’ Romelle promised. ‘ _I could murder their lemon chicken right now. I was cleaning out the test tubes this morning and someone bought lemon scented steriliser for the hand sinks. It's been stuck in my head ever since._ ’

“Long shift?”

Romelle groaned, the rumble of her hover-bike starting in the background. ‘ _I would love to tell you how much I don’t even know where to begin with this whole day, but I can’t, it’s still confidential,_ ’ she whined. ‘ _Home in thirty babe._ ’ Then she paused, and her voice turned a bit softer. ‘ _That’s six-sixty-nine for take-out._ ’

Memories of standing gobsmacked in a cafe, his caramel hot chocolate completely forgotten as he finally heard the infuriating price scrawled on his right wrist, and never before been uttered, brought a smile to his lips.

“Finally!” he replied, Romelle’s single word on his tongue, with the same affection carried with it.

Romelle laughed, and the call ended. 

Sitting up, Matt slapped his face, hoping to keep himself awake long enough for Romelle to get back. He’d planned on a shower, but maybe he could convince her to share the bath. After a day like the one which had just transpired, that sounded like a better plan.

Then again, they would both be covered in soot and smoke and that would end up being kind of disgusting to sit in for the both of them, so maybe not. No, a shower was definitely the better option, so he made quick use of it, changing into some cotton pyjamas that were starting to get on the borderline of perfectly worn for optimal comfort.

Kicking around in the kitchen for a cup of tea, and just enough energy to stay awake until Romelle got home, he quickly tapped out a message to his sister as he waited for the kettle to finish boiling.

He was sitting down, sipping at his drink as he kept up on the news feeds, trying to work out what level of media headache he’d be dealing with the next day (the assessment was currently at level KMN), when he checked for a reply.

The news had moved on to the overview, and the last dregs of tea were cold in his cup when Romelle got home and he still hadn’t heard anything. As they tucked into the takeaway food, he tried a phone-call. It went straight to voicemail.

Concern mounting up, he sent a final message before they turned in for the night. Just before he drifted off, Romelle’s hair tickling his nose, his phone pinged.

Hoping for a delayed response, he reached out with one hand and picked it up; it was an email from Bogh.

Sitting up, a curious turn of her head from his wife, who was also on the verge of passing out—‘ _Is she okay?_ ’—he tapped into his phone, and opened up the message.

* * *

The second time Katie awoke wasn’t long before the van stopped, and once again, it took a while before she remembered what was going on. She felt worse than before; her head was spinning, differently this time. 

It wasn’t just the nausea from the drugs, or how hard it was just to string a coherent thought together. There was pain there. It was dark now too, so her glimpses of light through the patchy windows were gone, making it harder to focus.

Everything ached; her throat, her neck, everything. Her arms and legs felt like they were screaming after what must have been hours of being forced to maintain the same position, and for a while she felt the same initial panic until she remembered what was going on.

She knew she ought to try and find something to cut the ropes off with, but she was exhausted, and just wanted to sleep, wake up from the nightmare she’d ended up in. The thought of moving any more than the shakes of the hover van already jostled her with was enough to make her sick, but she knew she had to try, so she shifted, rolling to the opposite side, tugging and trying once again to loosen them.

She could feel the knots beneath her wrists. Almost get her fingertips to brush the edges of them. The rope itself wasn't too thick and the material was kind of taught and smooth, making the knots small and tight as a result. The only one she could reach resisted any picking from her nails easily, and just seemed to get tighter when she moved.

Temporarily defeated, she slumped, trying to will away the nausea that returned with her movement. Okay. She couldn’t do anything about the rope just yet. What could she do? 

She didn’t dare stand up again while the van was still moving. It would be good to breathe through her mouth though—could she get the gag off? Maybe. It didn’t feel like it was tied around her head. It felt more like tape of some kind. If she could catch the edge of it on something, that might be a start. Then she could at least use her teeth.

Moving her head made the world sway, but she forced herself to move through the sensation, rubbing the edge of her cheek first against her shoulder, silently thanking the blown-up ego of whoever designed her hoodie for the sturdy decorative buttons that helped to catch the edges.

After a few minutes of head-spinning work, it was definitely starting to loosen. She just needed to do the same on the other side. It would be a small victory, but she’d take anything she could get right now. Then she could try working on the ropes again.

Much like the rest of the day, from the moment she’d logged in with Matt’s stupid new password on her desktop, luck just wasn’t on her side. 

The van turned, and the magnetic engine began to slow, a clear sign she had run out of time. Though it did mean less moving, and therefore less dizziness, so it was with some relief when the van stopped.

The engine turned off with a pneumatic squeal, before the van itself slowly hit the ground with a thud that bounced her around like a rag doll. Doors banged shut were accompanied by the crunch of footsteps outside, and as she recovered from the jostling, she finally heard voices.

“...hat’s third one from her brother now; should I send it?”

“Go ahead,” a second voice said, just audible over the rush and shudder of the door being slid open. “So long as someone passes it on, it doesn’t matter who gets it first.”

It clanged as it slid into place, and she winced when the torch that peered into the van, after a few twitchy searches, shone into her eyes.

“...Shit, I told you to tie her to the side of the van!” the second said, their footsteps thudding on the floor bringing them closer and closer. 

“I didn’t get the time, okay?” the first voice said. “The squaddies had already pulled up!” they protested. “Is she…?” 

“It's just a bump…” the closer voice—a male one—said, hoisting her up a bit by the ropes behind her back. “...but she’s bleeding. Maybe got a concussion,” the voice muttered; rough fingers pressed carefully against her forehead, and she cringed away from the touch with a weak, muffled protest. 

The light shone in her eyes and she winced, unable to see anything beyond it. “Could be worse I guess. Least you’re still awake, huh sweetheart?” the man asked, tilting her head with a light grasp beneath her chin.

His voice was weird. It sounded so familiar. Had she heard it before? She felt like she had, but everything was so foggy, she couldn’t tell. She could quite make his face out either.

She hoped her scowl was in her eyes as she recoiled, turning her head quickly; they hadn’t noticed that she’d managed to loosen the gag. Just a bit more on the other side and she was sure she could flex it off by moving her jaw. Oblivious, the man ignored her wriggling as an attempt to turn away, and he dropped his grip.

“I left her behind all the bags!” the other voice said again. “She couldn’t have rolled all the way down there! She must have woken up.”

“I told you I heard something when we were stuck in the traffic Lahn,” the man closest snorted; they crouched closer, and there was an acrid scent in her nose—like cigarette smoke—as they hooked an arm under her knees and another around her shoulders. “We should have stopped at that last lay-by. Open the car, and get something to go under her head while I patch her up. Sendak’ll string us _both_ up if we don’t get her back in one piece.”

Groaning from the spinning in her head as he stood up, and the sway of the world around her as his footsteps left dull echoes in her ears across the van floor, Katie strained, using her remaining energy to try and twist her neck, work on the other side of the gag while they were distracted.

Her efforts weren’t fast but she was more or less being ignored; presuming she was just trying to get out of his hold, the man just tightened his grip on her a little more. It wouldn’t have been a lie to assume it either; Katie didn't know what to do if or when the man dropped her, but she didn't want to go anywhere with them. That much she was certain of.

Then the scent of open air, dirt, trees and wet grass lightened the dusty smell that had filled the van, and she tried to look around, get her bearings, but it was just dark. There was a Yalmor screaming somewhere. She couldn’t make much else out other than the shape of the van as they left it behind. 

Turning her head a little, she could make out the shape of the man called Lahn moving around another car. Eventually she made out the shape of hovercar bays, a fence, and the outline of trees surrounding a carpark

The hovercar itself had the vague shape of a land rover, much darker in colour than the white of the van. Just beyond the fence opposite it she could see the dim lights of a house. 

A _house_ . Houses meant people. People meant _help_.

“Hurry with the bags,” the man carrying her ordered when the bark of a dog reached them. “We can’t wait around here.”

Still writhing, Katie worked at the other edges of the tape, scratching the lower edges against the buttons. She managed to catch it on the flat underside, and tugged.

“Wasn’t that place supposed to be deserted?” Lahn asked as he trudged back and forth between the van and the car. “I thought you checked it?”

“Was when Twyla and I dropped the car off. Must have changed since we were last here.” The other shrugged, jostling her as he moved. Just a little more. She almost had it! “Finally, is that everything? You get the med kit from the front?”

“Yeah, but is this really a good idea?” Lahn asked standing at the end of the car, the sound of a heavy latch releasing. “You just said she might have a concussion.”

Katie stretched and flexed her jaw, feeling the tape loosening, the sticky back pulling away from her skin with each angle. The barking was a little clearer, maybe closer. If she could get it off she might...

“Relax, it’s not like we’re using Twyla’s shitty little car. Even if we pull the back shelf down, there’s plenty of space,” the one carrying her said—where the _hell_ did she know his voice from? “Besides, I’m not listening to her whining and whimpering the whole trip. Open it up, and give me your jumper.” 

Finally, the tape pulled off, fluttering to the ground, and she screamed. She screamed through the sting and hoarseness in her throat, as loud as she could with desperation fuelling her voice.

“Help!” she roared, as loudly as she could, earning a distant bark in reply. “Help! If someone’s there, help me!” she belted

Realising where they intended to put her, Katie struggled again, harder this time. She felt nauseous, could hardly tell what she was looking at, everything ached, and her throat was raw, but she tried to writhe out of her captor’s grasp, whacking her legs against his hip and side as much as she could. 

“Please! Help! Hel—”

A rough hand clamped down over her mouth, the action tugging on something in her memory.

“Fuck! Get the tape! How the hell did you- _Agh!_ ”

“Hello?” a new, distant voice called out.

As Lahn ran to one of the back passenger doors where he’d stowed their bags, Katie bit down, as hard as she could on the fingers that were trying to muffle her. Hard enough to draw blood. It was metallic in her mouth, and if she had the time she’d probably have been sick from the taste of it on top of everything else.

The man yanked his hand back, and she could still hear the dog, closer now. The barking was more intense. Had someone heard her?

She kicked and twisted as the same hand she’d bitten clamped over her mouth again, harder this time, and there was an air of panic as she was taken towards the boot of the car. Twisting her head, the grip slipped.

“Get off of me!” she snarled at him, squirming away from his grip as he tried to grab her again. “Help! Help, please!”

“Is someone there?” a distant voice returned, a woman’s.

“Shit, shit, shit, shut her up!” Lahn yelled, still rummaging through the bags. “Do we have any rags for the windows? Or more of those sedatives?”

“Help!” She screamed out again. “Someone’s kidnapping me! Help, please! Help me! Help! Help! Help! Please, help m-”

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” the man hissed, dropping her into the boot of the car and pressing a hand firm down on her mouth, clamping it shut. “And yes, but Macidus gave me the measures for the first dose. He said not to go above it if we could help it.”

He had her head pressed into the hard fabric lining of the carboot and Katie kicked at him, trying to dislodge the firmer grip, shrieking through it, trying to look out past him.

“Hang on, I’ve got something.” Lahn said, and she heard the sound of fabric being ripped before his footsteps travelled around the car. Then he reappeared next to his companion, handing him a roll of microfoam tape and a thick wad of fabric that—judging by the tears—had previously been part of a t-shirt.

“Hold her steady,” the first man said, holding her jaw as he stuffed the fabric into her mouth, quickly robbing her of a chance to call out again then grabbing the tape. 

She twisted her head, trying to avoid the fresh strip he pulled down over her mouth, pressing it firmly across her jaw. It pulled her skin, and her attempts to call out for help were stifled, but she tried still, screaming desperately through the silencers.

Nothing. If someone had been there, they wouldn’t hear her now. She had been so close! If she’d just managed to bite him, or scream again—if she had just been able to do something—she might have found help!

This wasn’t happening. She was sure there had been someone there! She hadn’t been hallucinating! If she’d just had a few more minutes!

“Fucking hell, Lahn! We could have avoided all this if you’d just gagged her properly to begin with!” the first scowled, picking up the roll again and pulling a new length of it. “Keep hold of her while I do this.”

“I did!” Lahn hissed back, doing as instructed and lifting her up by the ropes around her arms. “You knocked her out! I didn’t think she’d be awake!” he protested, holding her chin up as the other wound the the strip straight from the roll around her head, over the first. 

Katie glowered at him as he worked, all her rage on frustration boiling in her eyes; blinking the tears away as best she could, she slammed at him with her feet, but she might as well have been kicking a block of stone for the good it did. The man didn’t even flinch when her hindered, groggy movements connected with his stomach.

“Yeah, and that was nine hours ago, moron,” the other grunted, tearing off the roll after he’d wrapped it around her a couple of times. “Pass me that first aid kit.”

Katie felt a chill in her as he started dabbing at the small scrape on her head with stinging antiseptic, coating it in a cream that made her forehead numb and tingle. _Nine hours?_ It had been that long? 

Her parents would have noticed she wasn’t answering her phone by now, surely? What time was it? She couldn’t remember when she had been taken from the lab well enough to judge. One of them had mentioned contacting Matt. What did he mean? Did that mean they were going to ransom her after all?

Her handler fastened a small square of bandage and gauze over the cream with medical tape, then leaned in closer and pulled the buttons off the shoulders of her jumper, presumably having guessed how she worked the first gag off. Then he spent another five more minutes tightening the knots on her wrists and legs; not out of necessity—she could hardly budge for them—but presumably paranoia. 

She kicked and screamed and tried to thrash herself away from every movement of manhandling, every touch of the stranger’s hands, even kicking the side of the van in hopes that someone might still be near by and come to investigate the noise before the other man—Lahn, she had to try remember their names—grabbed hold of her legs.

“Fucking hell,” he swore. “Do something! Someone’s going to hear her!”

The accomplice paused, then nodded, and he rummaged around for a moment, before returning, brandishing a needle and a small bottle. Katie stared in wide-eyed horror at it, trying to call out again, screaming and screaming desperately through the gag, staring beyond them at the lights of the house. 

There had to be someone there! They had heard her! She had heard them reply! She couldn’t let herself be drugged again; the first one had completely knocked her for six. If they drugged her again she’d have no chance! 

She writhed, thrashing as much as she could before Lahn grabbed her head and shoulders, turning and exposing her neck. The needle bit into her skin, its contents stinging as they were pushed into her bloodstream. 

Whatever had been in the bottle, it acted fast. After barely a minute, she already felt lethargic and found it even harder to focus on the pair. Things were going blurry again. It was harder to move. Lahn let go of her, and the first one laid her down again on the floor of the van.

She tried calling out again as the dark began to blur, but she could hardly hear the weak noise for the swimming dizziness in her head. She felt limp in the ropes, and and frustrated tears welled in her eyes as his hand ran over her hair. She couldn't even shake his hand off her.

“There we go,” the first man said, “For someone so small you’re _almost_ more trouble than you’re worth,” he muttered, sagging with relief as her struggles softened and cries began to fade unheard into defeated sobs and tears. 

No. She couldn't fall asleep. A sedate haze began to creep over her and she sobbed, trying to look around, move, do anything to keep herself awake, trying even to see her captor’s faces. _Anything_. She tried shifting, angling her head, but her body was utterly slumped

“That’s it, just relax Katie,” he huffed, patting her cheek with his bleeding hand. “It’ll be easier. You’re not making any more noise or going anywhere, so just let the drug do its work, and you can sleep through all this; doesn't that sound better Princess _?_ ”

Cringing again at the mock affection, there was something beneath the condescending words and alien touch of his hand on her face that made her freeze. Or rather, one word did, its tune and lilt echoing with familiarity.

_Princess?_

Peering up in the dim light, Katie finally got a glimpse of the first man’s face; her eyes had adjusted to the dark and while her vision was going blurry and dark, she could see the square jawline, and his long Mohawk-style ponytail. More importantly, she recognised it.

_Bogh?_

Lahn followed him as he stepped back and flipped up the tailboard. They waited long enough to bunch up a jumper and a hoodie beneath her head, then her bodyguard reached up, and pulled a roll-back blind over from behind the backseats into its latches. 

Without a backwards glance, he slammed the boot hatch closed, plunging her chance of escape into utter blackness.

* * *

The rest of her journey was as cramped and uncomfortable as being tied up in the boot of an SUV sounded, and Katie found it as hard to remember as the first uncomfortable journey on the van floor.

It was dark, and she didn't get much idea of where she was. She drifted in and out of it all, not really sleeping, but not really concentrating too much either. She felt terrible still, but was starting to get used to that.

She did notice when they stopped in traffic, or when the sun rose. She could hear the buzz of the city traffic, and enough light cracked through the roller blind hiding her from view through the back window at the edge to know when she’d been taken into another day. 

A few times during the night she thought someone had been at the hatch, opening it again, but that could have been a dream, or hallucination

She had tried fumbling around, looking for something to loosen the ropes again, but besides herself, the boot was completely empty. She didn't know how long the uncomfortable drive lasted, but eventually it came to an end too.

The hovercar stopped without the off-grid shudder, this time gliding into a charging bay without any aftershocks to jostle her already woozy head, and moments later the hatch lifted, and Bogh appeared.

“Morning Princess,” Bogh said, his common morning greeting less irritating, and more a twist in her chest. 

She hadn’t believed it. Refused to. But without much else to think about, it made her feel stupid for not realising his presence and responsibility failure sooner.

Bogh had been the only one in the room when things went dark on her. He was the only person who knew her schedule so well besides Shiro and her family. He knew all the routes inside the building for emergency escapes.

He’d also helped her put out a minor kitchen fire when her toaster decided to have a literal meltdown, stood between her and unwanted attention from one pick-up line too many, and given her advice on how to try to improve her relationship with her parents.

But he’d still put her here, despite her trust in him, despite knowing it was exactly what she and her family had been trying to avoid for five years of her life, despite knowing how much—deep down—she both hated and feared her words, and that hurt. A lot.

Light burned Katie’s eyes as it filled the boot, and the roller blind was let back, but she managed to blink it away, and looking up, she found herself face to face with another man. 

His head was clean, bald, apart from one spot running down the back from the crown of his head, with a matching stubble and light sideburns to frame his jaw. “What happened?” He demanded, his gaze skimming over her. “She’s a fucking mess. Why isn't she blindfolded?” 

“I forgot. Long story short, she nearly got us caught when we switched cars. Lahn just stuck a bit of tape over her gob and she pulled it off, so I redid it and we gave her a bit more of the sedative to be on the safe side,” Bogh said, disappearing again. She heard him unzipping a bag behind her somewhere. “But nothing to worry about. Nobody heard her.”

“And this?”

The second man flipped her fringe out of the way, fingers brushing lightly against the gauze on her forehead.

“Before we got to the switchover, I think. Got jostled in the van a bit,” Bogh said, returning.

“Hm,” the superior grunted, stepping back and allowing Bogh to sit her up against the side of the car. “Suppose it can't be helped. Good job” he said, watching as Bogh began unravelling the strip of fabric in his hand. “We’ll start soon. Everything’s set up.”

“Is that wise?” Bogh asked, sitting down on the packing shelf and measuring the strip against her eyes.

Realising what it was for, she gave him a kick, pulling her knees up to block him before he could lean in close. If they were trying to blindfold her that meant they didn’t want her to see something, and if so, that meant there was something worth seeing nearby.

“Not again!” Bogh grumbled, trying to push her legs out of the way. “Just hold-”

She kicked harder, managing to catch his face. It was hard to keep the effort up though and she got one glance around out of the boot (an underground car park, but nothing that named or identified it) before her luck passed, and Bogh pressed the blindfold firm over her eyes. It forced them shut, and he held the ends behind her head with one hand, pulling her back around towards him before continuing. 

“I thought you gave her more sedative?” The other man asked, still watching. 

“I did,” Bogh said. “But I was worried about using too much, so it was just a quarter dose after what Macidus gave me to grab her. And even with that, she was so out of it we had to stop to make sure she threw up and hadn’t choked a bunch of times.” 

She could feel him pulling the ends of the fabric each once the front, then around again. “She’s just fucking stubborn enough to ignore all side effects. It took a while before she realised it was me, but it took her two minutes to get the first gag off and start screaming.”

That, Katie felt, was a compliment, and after the yanking tightening of the knot stopped pulling against the back of her head she kicked in the direction of his voice again, feeling some mild satisfaction when she heard a grunt as her feet connecting with something.

“I can see that,” the other man mused. “Is that what happened to your hand?”

“As I said,” Bogh said, ignoring the question. “She’s stubborn. But not really fit for show and tell right now. Couldn’t it wait a few days?”

Someone slid an arm under her legs, and another behind her shoulders.

“I suppose we can let things lie for a little longer, but I want to start today.”

She was lifted out of the car. Then for a long while, carried. She couldn’t tell for how long, but it definitely felt like she was being taken up. Up and up for what felt like forever. Hanging over the back of Bogh’s shoulder (she assumed it was his at any rate) unable to see, move or speak was incredibly disorientating, and she was almost grateful when she was laid down again, on something softer.

Left alone, she tried to test her surroundings; it felt like she was lying on a blanket of some sort, and there was enough padding that there might have been a mattress beneath it. 

She heard voices moving around, muffled talking, but without any way to properly gauge where she was in relation to anything, she wasn’t confident enough to try and figure out any more.

It wasn’t much more comfortable than the car, but enough that she felt sleepy, and curled in on herself, trying to block everything from her mind. She wanted to wake up back at home, or her parents. Or at Matt and Romelle’s house, sweating from a freakishly real nightmare, not living in it.

But she had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen soon, so she curled up, tried to take the moment of rest for what it was, and process everything. It made her feel a bit more secure. 

Eventually she drifted off, and for a while, had a bit of blissful escape from the ache in her arms and legs from the ropes, the dryness in her mouth and cutting pain in her throat from the drug and the ache in her head where she’d banged it on the floor of the van back when they were still parked outside Voltedge as well as the utter dizziness and nausea she had forced herself to move through.

She was exhausted, and something as simple as a blanket instead of the juddering floor of a hover car was enough for her to forget it all and indulge in a luxury her body had been craving for hours.

* * *

In another universe, Romelle and Matt’s wedding was Keith and Pidge’s cliched Meet-Cute™ 

It became its own AU, which Luce-Ciel and I have discussed a lot  and raged about . One day, it might be a one-shot to make up for this horror. Until then, Romelle and Matt get the Meet-Cute™ instead.

I’m so sorry Pidge. I wish I could say its going get better before it gets worse but…um. I can’t. ~~Cause its not.~~ Sorry. 

Friends, just remember, whatever happens: _I believe in happy endings._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TL;DR
> 
> -Matt gets home and speaks to his wife, Romelle on the phone. He has just returned from hospital having been treated for minor smoke inhalation.  
> -Romelle mentions working on the crime scene, and asks if he's heard from Katie  
> -Matt has not, but has not, as they haven't heard from Bogh either, and if something had happened, his parents would have focused more on that.  
> -Romelle get home, and matt gets more restless.  
> -Just as they turn in, in the early morning, Matt gets an email from Bogh.  
> –Romelle, guessing its a response from Katie, asks him if she's is okay.
> 
> ——————————
> 
> -Katie wakes up in the van, still a bit disorientated.  
> -After coming around a little, Katie decided to try working the tape off her mouth by pulling it against the shoulder buttons on her hoodie.  
> -The van stops and she hears voices talking about sending something to Matt.  
> -Upon opening the side door, one of them yells at the other for not fastening her to the side of the van upon seeing her head injury.  
> -The voice is familiar but its dark and she cant place it.  
> -The two men start to move her.  
> -As they move her to another car, Katie hears a dog barking.  
> -Managing to work the gag off she screams for help; she thinks someone hears her, but the two men show a rag into her mouth and pull microfoam tape around it to gag her again.  
> -One of them gives her another injection, telling her to just sleep through everything, calling her 'Princess'.  
> -Katie recognises Bog just before the close her into the boot and she blacks out again.
> 
> ——————————
> 
> -Katie wakes up still in the car, in a haze again.  
> -She remembers flashes of faces, but is very out of it until the car stops moving.  
> -The boot opens and a new face appears, asking why she isn't blindfolded, and why she's injured.  
> -Bogh tells the third man she caused problems, so he forgot as he ties one over her eyes.  
> -Katie manages to kick around blindly and kick him until the lift her out and take her somewhere.  
> -She is left on something softer, and exhausted, falls asleep, hoping she'll wake up from a nightmare.


	3. Ask For A Commitment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

Katie's respite didn't last for long before she was jolted her from her uncomfortable sleep without any warning, picked up by a pair of arms under her legs and back, utterly disorientating her. Waking up to total darkness was also, quite frankly, terrifying. This time at least she wasn't too dazed, and knew what had happened, but it was enough to make her panic

She struggled in the grip, panic gripping her chest until she was dropped into an upright position, and something was wrapped around her shoulders, forcing her to stay sitting up. 

Then she felt someone’s hands on her shoulders, her face, and she twisted away from the touch, utterly unnerved by the sensation and her inability to perceive anything except noise. The grip moved her head, holding it in a firm grip that she couldn’t pull away from and she screamed out her protest and unease as the palms and fingers manhandled her.

To her distress, the touches didn’t go away, but light did return to her eyes as the blindfold was pulled down around her neck. There was a lamp above her head, and it felt like it was nearly burning out her corneas.

Even without the blindfold, and the receding sear of the surrounding light, she still couldn’t make much out, and her eyes hazed in an out of focus.

‘ _Katie_!’

Who was talking to her? It almost sounded like her mum, but that was impossible. Unless she had been Kidnapped too, it couldn’t be her mum. The hands on her face were too rough, large, invasive, and she could smell tobacco smoke, not the freesia and rose and sweet pea aroma that followed her mother’s every step. 

‘ _Katie, honey, can you hear me?_ ’

The hands on her chin, redirected her gaze again, and a hand tapped her cheek several times, startling her into looking straight ahead. It was directed at a screen, sitting on a table. Beside it was a small throwaway webcam, but her focus was on the screen, trying to work out what she was seeing.

Taking a few breaths, she concentrated on the screen, and after a few moments, the haziness sort of realigned enough that she could see the faces of her parents. 

Just seeing their faces was a relief, and a torture, but mostly a relief. She could feel herself breaking down into tears but she didn’t care. She knew that they were on a screen and couldn’t help her, but she screamed out in response to it anyway.

“As you can see,” someone behind her said, a large hand falling on her shoulder, pulling her back as she tried to lean forward, trying to get a closer look at them. “She is alive and unharmed.”

‘ _Unharmed? Bullshit!_ ’ her father roared. ‘ _What the hell have you done to her? She’s injured! And barely conscious!_ ’

“It appears she didn’t take well to the sedation,” the voice said again. Now that she was starting to wake up, it sounded familiar. The man who had been with Bogh when he blindfolded her? “She just needs some time to shake it off. She also has a small concussion from her travels—an accident, I assure you,” he continued.

He forced her head to one side, another hand gently and slowly pulling back her hair where it covered the gauze. It was tight on her skin, digging unpleasantly into her cheek, and it felt like iron where his fingers cupped her chin, forcing her to move her neck. 

“As long as you’re willing to co-operate Mr Holt, she’ll be well cared for,” he said, before moving away from her, dropping his hold and turning both the camera and the screen away from her. “Now shall we begin?”

‘ _What do you want Sendak?_ ’ her father’s voice asked, not quite as angry as before, but still shaky. ‘ _If its money, have it. Name it._ ’

The man—Sendak? She knew that name. Wasn’t he some arson terrorist? What did he want with her? Or rather, her father?—chuckled at the words.

“I’m afraid money isn’t what I want, Mr Holt,” he said. “I’ve asked you many times already, you ignored my warnings. You ought to know the answer by now.”

Katie tried to focus again. The sleep might have helped. She wasn’t sure, but she could concentrate enough to look around and see her surroundings. Maybe the drug was wearing off again? She didn’t know how long it had been since she was moved from the van.

_‘What warnings?_ ’ her father demanded. He sounded panicked, confused. _‘Until today I haven’t spoken a word to you! I have no idea what you want!_ ’

Looking around, she couldn’t see much; it was just a big empty room. Maybe an empty office? It was hard to tell without any significant features. White paint and wooden floorboards. A few windows, but the blinds were all down so she couldn’t see outside to try and gauge where she was. 

She couldn’t see anywhere that looked like an exit either, but she could only see so far over her shoulder in the restraints. She didn’t know what was behind her.

Sendak hummed. “Perhaps that is true, for you at any rate, though I thought a man of your intelligence would have known with whom he was speaking before now,” he decided. “No matter. In that case I’ll be frank; I want your designs for the zaiforge neutralisers, repurposed as per my original requests.”

‘ _What? My designs? For…?_ ’ her father’s voice trailed off. ‘ _...Those were your emails? All those calls?_ ’

“Yes, and I’m sure you’re more than aware by now that I kept the promises I made you on what would happen if you kept refusing my requests; I told you I would destroy your company, and I have done so...” 

The memory of the burning building flashed back from when she’d woken up inside the van, and Katie felt sick as she stared at the tall, broad man standing in front of the camera. That had been his doing? It wasn’t something she even knew how to think about. 

“...I also told you I would do the same to your family, but I’m reasonable. Since you didn’t think the promises were genuine, I’ll allow your misguided mistakes; just consider this my first step in acting on my second promise.”

He walked back towards her, and Katie couldn’t help shrinking back into the chair as the blank expression on his face grew closer and closer to her. It wasn’t especially intimidating, but the man was just… too calm. 

He talked about a three-story fire like it was some kind of reprimand for missing an essay deadline. People could have died and he just dropped it into conversation like he was talking about the weather, or something equally mundane.

Pulling away the ropes that crossed in front of her shoulders, holding her in the chair, he took hold of the ones tying her arms behind her back and dragged her across the room towards the camera again. They dug painfully into her biceps as he hoisted her in line with the camera, and she hated the morph of fear in her parents’ faces as he brandished her like a trophy.

“For now, Katie is my guest. How she’s treated depends on you,” he stated, changing his grip and dropping his hold. Catching her with two arms around her before she hit the floor with ease; the grip around her stomach and shoulders was tight, and while she’d rather drop into the floor than stand him touching her, he didn’t flinch at her suspended kicking. 

“Do as I ask, and she’ll be comfortable. I’ll even allow her to speak with you. As long as you cooperate, you’ll see her again. Test me, and I will make the duration incredibly unpleasant for her,” he said, dropping her in his hold just enough so his fingers, in the guise of directing her gaze towards the camera—the screen image of her horrified parents—squeezed around her neck, making her choke into the gag.

‘ _Stop it! Stop it, you’re hurting her!_ ’ 

That was Matt's voice. 

“I just want to make sure your father is aware that his actions are the ones that have consequences, Matt,” Sendak's grip on her throat tightened, and she writhed, trying to breathe, trying to get out of his hold. “And make sure you understand that I am neither lying, or bluffing. That your requests, including the assurance of your sister’s well-being, are earned.”

‘ _Please! Stop!_ ’ Her mother cried out. ‘ _We understand what’s at stake, you don’t have to do this! Please!_ ’ She begged

Her mother’s quick words apparently satisfied Sendak, because he finally let go, and she slumped, inhaling and coughing through her restraints as best she could. 

Tears were streaming down her face, and she shivered in revulsion when the fingers that had just strangled her brushed around her throat, gentle as flower petals.

“Shh,” he murmured in her ear, the calm gentleness a chill down her spine that just made her struggle more to be away from him. “Small breaths Katie. In and out, that’s it, take your time.”

She screwed her eyes closed wishing she could blot out the sound of his voice, the feel of his fingers smoothing the almost certainly bruised skin on her neck as he turned back the camera.

“I’m afraid I do Mrs Holt,” he said, his fingers warm and firm on her neck, still as she shuddered, trying to get her breathing back to normal. “My warnings this far have been ignored, so I need to make an example; fail to keep me informed of your progress, and I will brand a tally into your daughter’s skin for every day you fail to do so. Lie to me—” one of his thumbs pressed onto one of her eyelids, and she screamed, twisting her head away. “—and I will burn out her eyes, her tongue. Fail my request...” he paused, his fingers digging into her hair. 

It tugged painfully as it was yanked out from the microfoam Bogh had wrapped around the gag, but more when he held her up in the air, hoisting up to his shoulder. “...and I send a stream feed to your home screens so that you can watch as I douse her in komar fluid…” the pain was gone and this time she screamed, clattering to the concrete floor. “...and let her burn until she’s nothing but a charred, barbequed carcass to be left on your doorstep.”

Coughing and shivering and shuddering, tears streaming from her eyes as she tried to focus and failed, her vision spotting with disorientation, everything went dark again, but she didn't pass out. She heard footsteps. Someone making their way over, wrapping something around her eyes again before scooping her up and taking her off somewhere else.

Katie didn’t see their face but compared to Sendak, anyone was safe, and she curled up trying not to choke or scream or panic. She hid her face in their shoulder, still crying, wishing she could block out the voice of the man still talking to the camera.

“I hope we understand each other Mr Holt.” Sendak asked. “I’d like this to be as thorough as possible, so I’m happy to check in with you as I am now. We’ll take this project at your pace. I assume that will be acceptable?”

There was a loud, piercing creak as the person who had picked her opened a door. As it closed behind him, Katie heard her father’s voice echo as loudly as the unoiled hinges.

‘ _I understand. You’ll get your plans._ ’

For the first time since Bogh had shoved a needle into her neck, and she woke up on a van floor, Katie felt like she was truly scared.

She had been able to try and tell herself she just had to get the ropes off, or wait for her moment, but seeing her parents, the terror on their faces had highlighted her own peril to her.

The sensation of Sendak's hands around her neck had been a close second in the horror of her new reality, and as the door closed into the frame with a firm swing, it slammed down upon her with the simple finality of a latch clicking into a lock.

Katie didn’t know what to think or look at; her only thought was how desperately she needed to escape, how much she wanted to go home. It had only been hours, and she was terrified. Bravado and determination had kept her going—she had been sure she could work though everything that had been stacked against her, escape somehow. Eventually. Convincing herself had kept the panic and fear away for a while.

Hearing the man who called himself Sendak vividly describing how he would torture her, and ultimately kill her, if her parents didn’t agree to and follow his demands, demonstrating the ease of which he would do so just by picking her up and squeezing a hand around her neck, had changed that perception.

For all her bravado, Bogh’s comments about her stubbornness, there hadn't been a thing she could have done to stop him. There would have been nothing her parents or brother could have done to help her. She was on her own, and the demonstration around her neck had been a horrible wakeup call on what her limitations were.

She couldn't move her arms. She couldn't run away. She couldn't even speak, and for a while, she had been denied the luxury of using her own eyes too. She was in a horrendous position, and really, what exactly was she supposed to do to get out of it?

She’d been lucky once. Sort of. It hadn’t proven to be very fruitful, and even then she hadn’t been able to escape. She'd just screamed herself hoarse for a bit. There was no sudden, dramatic shift in fate and fortune that had miraculously provided her with a means of getting home. 

This was reality, not a video download or an eBook, and hers had taken its worst dive in luck since the day her Soulmark appeared on her left wrist, supposedly promising she could make it through any trial fate deemed to test her with.

She’d never been more terrified in her life than the moment Sendak had dropped her like a china doll onto the floor for one of his underlings to collect. She had truly thought she would have died there and then, under the grip of his rough, hard-skinned fingers, and who would have stopped it? 

Nobody. She only had herself for protection now, and as realisation and stress piled rapidly, she shuddered, tears still streaming down her face as she tried to breathe. 

Someone was still carrying her, and they set her down after the door closed behind them on what felt like the mattress again. 

She felt like it was dark again, and not because of the blindfold. Her vision had gone dark before that. She couldn’t see anything. She could feel the mattress from earlier, and her heart pounded in her chest, but she couldn't focus.

Was she having a panic attack? She felt strangled and suffocated, literally and figuratively, and she pulled her knees up to her chest, hiding her face as she sobbed, trying to work herself down. Count to ten. List things. Colours. _Black. Pink. Blue. Yellow. Red. Green. Purple._ The terms shed memorised for her thesis. All the names of her granddad’s cats.

Pulling her knees up took away what limited balance to sit up she’d had, and Katie toppled onto her side, but she didn’t bother moving. It was better almost, because she could curl up, try and pretend she could hide from everything around her. 

Then, someone’s hands were on her face again, trying to pull her jaw up, and she screamed when they slowly forced her out of her pathetic, self-made cocoon, pulling her face away each time they tried to grab her, trying to roll to the side, only for them to grab her shoulder and pull her back.

“Hey, hey, calm down…” they said, pulling the blindfold off, revealing nothing but darkness to her eyes still.

She kicked and struggled and screamed. Every touch felt like that of the man who’d just strangled her, and she just tried to make herself as small as she could. She was still crying, screaming ‘ _No!’_ into the gag as fluently as she had everything else: ‘ _Let go!_ ’ ‘ _What are you doing?_ ’ _‘Don’t touch me!’_ ‘ _Stop, please!_ ’ ‘ _Why are you doing this?_ ’ ‘ _Let me go!_ ’

“Hey, Princess, relax,” the man said, his voice level and unruffled as he spoke, his hands broad on her shoulder, mot not moving from them anymore, or trying to touch her face. “Its just me. Stop struggling a moment, I’m holding a knife. Hold still unless you want one of your eyes poked out by accident.”

‘ _Princess._ ’

The only person who called her that was Bogh. Was that who had taken her out of the room? Away from the camera? Away from Sendak? Short breaths escaped her, but she froze at the sound of his familiar voice. Still trembling, she focused on it, on the words. Knife. Why did he have a knife? 

A muffled sob escaped her, and she screwed her eyes closed; were they going to kill her already? Did something go wrong? Did she do something? She couldn’t really think of anything with the way she’d just been dragged around at Sendak’s leisure to bolster his scare tactics.

But what else would he have a knife for? She had to get away. She had to escape. Only she’d just gone through this with herself; her situation wasn't just vulnerable, it was completely helpless. If they were going to kill her, she couldn’t stop it from happening, no matter what her words implied.

Her sobs choking in her throat, she rolled onto her side, making herself as small as possible again, cringing away from Bogh’s hands, tense and strained. Waiting. Preparing herself for the inevitable. Maybe it was a blessing her eyes had failed her.

“Katie,” Fear coiled in her guts but she still seethed at the casual way Bogh was speaking, like he still had any right to use her name after all of this. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just taking the gag off for a bit.”

The tone in his voice wasn’t harsh, but she didn’t move, not trusting it. He never had been a brash voice, even angry, and she had thought after two years, she had known him pretty well. That had been wrong. Had he been working for Sendak since he applied for the job? 

Wait. He said something else. What had he said? Before she could try to concentrate, or remember, she felt his hands at the back of her head. Then something hard against it. Smooth metal. Her breath stopped again, fear washing through the lingering dregs of nausea and dizziness, until she heard the sound of something slicing. Then the tightness of the tape wrapped around her jaw sort of... slackened, then the blindfold fell away. 

Bogh’s hands were holding her hair, close to her nape and scalp and she heard the sound of more slicing, then felt some tugs. Then she felt it go down a bit more, until he pulled away the sticky strips. Finally opening her eyes as she felt him turning her head to get to the other side, she watched him do the same, cutting away the thicker strips with a sharp, multi-style pocket knife. 

The same one he’d used to help her screw in her new light switches last week, after she left her toolkit at work.

He pulled the strips of microfoam away, trying to keep them from yanking on her hair too much, then peeled off the last strip covering her mouth slowly, holding her face. The stick of it pulled at her lips and skin, sore after being stuck on her face for so long. Coughing and spluttering, she spat out the wad of fabric stuffed behind it, inhaling fresh, unrestricted air. It felt like bliss, and fresh tears came with it.

“Slowly,” Bogh said, and while she didn’t really want to take any of his advice, she knew that breathing in too quickly would just make it worse. “In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

She did as instructed; slow breaths, in and out. Calming her racing heartbeat in her chest. The fear and panic didn’t go away, but at least she didn’t feel like she was choking any more. Once Bogh was satisfied she had calmed enough to breathe properly, he walked away. She heard the sound of a tap running, and looked around a little at the room she’d been brought to. 

It looked nothing like the previous room, which had appeared to be an old office room.

The walls around her were covered in knobbled black foam— _soundproofing_ , she realised with her stomach churning—but for the strip light on the ceiling. It was the only source of light, as the windows were also sealed up with what looked like large sheets of MDF.

She was sitting on the edge of a bed which appeared to be bolted to the floor, with a thin mattress and cheap, basic but serviceable blankets. There was no other furniture, apart from a familiar-looking holdall dumped in one corner of the room. It was sitting in a doorway which showed a couple of locks on the door frame; beyond it she could see Bogh standing in a small room that must have been some kind of toilet or shower room—maybe a kitchen?—to have a sink.

The tap stopped and he came back towards her after locking the door to the room—a shower room, looking at the stall that had been blocked from her view by his shoulders—with a sports bottle, presumably filled with water.

She thought about turning it away as he shifted her upright, holding her back between her shoulders, fingers spread as a support, but even just the smell of the water before the sports cap pressed against her lips was enough to make her throat dry, and she took the measures sips offered until she felt as though she’d had her fill.

Then she cringed away, her back hitting a wall as he reached out to put the back of his palm against her forehead.

“Hm,” he mumbled to himself. “Bit warm. How are you feeling, Princess?” He asked.

Katie stared at him, first wondering if she’d heard him correctly. Then in disbelief. “Excuse me?” She rasped. 

Her throat felt like sandpaper, and her voice was dry and cracked a little wheezy. It hurt just to make that tiny rasp, and the question was enough to bring a fresh wave of tears on with the hurt and anger that welled up in response.

_‘How are you feeling, Princess?’_

What kind of fucked up, stupid question was that? Her confusion must have been obvious because he pointed to a travel medical kit sitting off to one side.

“You’re heard Sendak,” he told her. “As long as your father plays along, you’ll be comfortable enough.”

“Only so you can torture me if he doesn’t,” she rasped back, trying to fight down the cough that followed the words.

“That depends on him,” Bogh shrugged. “You know you’re not going anywhere Katie; don’t make things worse for yourself out of pride when you don’t have to.”

She seethed. She wanted to punch him. Or just kick his lying jaw so that he would stop sounding so clever, like he knew what was best for her, like he _cared_ still. But she was exhausted. She was still shaking, even being trussed up in all the ropes wasn’t stopping it (actually, that was probably just making it worse). 

Honestly, she just wanted to sleep—actually sleep, not pass out, or haze in and out of consciousness because she couldn’t see anything—and forget about all this for a bit. Hopefully wake up from this nightmare.

“Fine,” she spat hoarsely. “The room won’t stop spinning thanks to whatever was in those needles you stabbed into my neck, I feel sick, and I don’t know what aches more; my arms from being stuck in this rope for hours, my head from being drugged and whacked off the floor of the van you dragged me into, or my throat from the needles, drugs and fucking rag you shoved into my mouth.” She spat. “I can’t move, I don’t know where I am, and that psycho just strangled me in front of my parents! How do you _think_ I feel?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well you can’t be that bad if you can still sass,” he commented idly, unzipping the first aid kit. “Still, you can have these if you want them,” he said, holding up a regular sixteen tablet pop sachet of tablets. Holding them closer, she could see ‘ _paracetamol_ ’ printed on the foil.

She wasn’t sure she wanted more drugs. She felt sick enough, and it was starting to fade away. More tablets would just make her feel worse again. Everything was aching though, badly, and she might be able to pass out a little easier, so she nodded. 

He popped a couple from the foil, and got more water. One at a time, she swallowed them, drinking a bit more of the water too. Once she’d drunk her fill of it again, he changed the dressing on her forehead, putting a bit more of the numbing cream on it. When he turned away to replace the med kit in the hold all, she almost felt relaxed, and looked around, examining the room.

The boards on the window were new. The wood wasn’t aged the same as the floorboards were, and the nails on the one nearest the mattress she was laid on weren’t rusted. Someone had deliberately set this up recently. Obviously, they didn’t want her to know where she was.

“Alright, look this way,” Bogh said, his footsteps returning. 

The sound of tearing drew her eyes to the roll in his hands from the nailed boards, and her stomach began to churn again; hadn’t he just taken it off of her? 

“I did say it was temporary,” he added, catching her stare. “You’re not screaming the birds out of the sky again, now; look. This. Way.”

She refused, turning her face away instead. Bogh let put a frustrated noise, and when he reached out with one hand for her face, she tipped herself over, rolling towards the wall until he yanked her shoulders and pulled her back. 

“Stop being so difficult,” he demanded, He dragging her over the mattress and pressing a knee onto her chest, his weight holding her in place. she wriggled, doing her utmost to avoid the grabby hands, until he easily took hold of her face. “I told you; it’s not going to do you any favours.”

As he tore off a strip of tape with his knife and free hand, Katie did something she never had the poor manners to think of, and something her mother would probably have let her get away without an ear bashing if she’d been there to comment; she spat at him, right in the eyeball. 

“I trusted you!” she hissed as he wiped the spit away nonplussed. “Shiro trusted you! Matt, mum and dad, we all did!” she said, trying to turn her chin out of his grip. It was far more forceful than when she had been curled up in a ball earlier. “You knew what my words were!” she snarled at him as he tried to hold her jaw. “You knew and you sti—” she was cut off, again, by the rag being shoved between her teeth, and the firm and insistent sticky back of the tape pulled down hard over her mouth.

Bogh calmly covered the first strip with a couple more that he wound around her head before pulling his knee off of her, looking down with something less relaxed. He still had hold of her chin, and there was something warning in his voice in his parting words.

“I’d keep your comments about those to yourself here, Princess,” he said, pressing a hushed finger over the microfoam sealing her lips. “I’ll come back with food for you later. You're here now, so make yourself comfortable, and get some rest.”

She kicked at his back as he stood. It didn’t do much, but at least she felt sort of vindicated when he abandoned her to her thoughts and exhausted sleep, the scrape of a key locking the door behind him.

* * *

Bogh, you are honestly an absolute tool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TL:DR**  
>  –Katie wakes up when someone moves her to a chair; she is still disorientated and affected by the drug Bogh dosed her with.  
> -She feels someone moving her head and touching her face; the blindfold is removed, and her eyes are sensitive; she cant see much due to brightness.  
> -Katie hears her parents. At first she thinks its a hallucination, then her eyes adjust and she sees them on the computer screen.  
> -Negotiations continue from where Keith's POV in Blind Leading the Blind 02 left off. Sam asks if Sendak wants money, assures him he can have it, but Sendak tells him no, he wants a version of Sam's zaiforge neutralising tech edited, as he has 'previously requested'. Sam is shocked, realising he has spoken to him before without realising.  
> -Sendak tells him he should be aware that he will keep the promises he made in previous emails; _'I’m sure you’re more than aware by now that I kept the promises I made you on what would happen if you kept refusing my requests; I told you I would destroy your company, and I have done so. I also told you I would do the same to your family, but I’m reasonable. Since you didn’t think the promises were genuine, I’ll allow your misguided mistakes; just consider this my first step in acting on my second promise._ '  
> -Sendak takes her our of the chair, holing her up before the camera, telling sam the she's his ' _guest_ ' and that as long as sam does as he tells him, she'll be comfortable, and he'll even allow them to have limited contact. He warns that if not, he will make the stay unpleasant, which her emphasises by squeezing her throat, and forcing her to look at the camera.  
> -Sendak stoops after a few moment, and 'soothes' the bruises, uncomfortably touching her skin on her neck, maintaining a hold on it but not strangling her.  
> -He threatens to burn out her eyes and tongue if sam lies during the negotiations, pressing a thumb onto one of her eyes. He holds her up by her hair, and threatens to burn her alive and send her body to her parents before dropping her onto the floor.  
> -Bogh picks her up and takes her away from the room after blindfolding her again as her father agrees to Sendak's demands. She is nearly hysterical, in the midst of a panic attack, and mostly terrified, without any bravado or determination to help offset her panic and fear of her situation as she is set down on what feels like a mattress.  
> -Choking and coughing and crying, she tries to calm herself down by listing things, until someone touches her shoulder again. Bogh tells her to relax, that its just him, and since he's holding a knife, she needs to stay still. He tells her he wont hurt her, and is just going to take the gag off her for a while.  
> -Scared she does as asked, thinking he's going to kill her already, but he does as he promised, removing the gag and blindfold. Still coughing, wheezing, and he tries to help her breathe, reminding her to take slow breaths, etc.  
> -Once she has calmed a little, he walks away and Katie looks at the room; the bed frame beneath the mattress is bolted to the floor, the walls are all covered in soundproofing foam apart from a strip light in the ceiling, and the windows are boarded up. she can hear a tap through another door, from which Bogh returns with a sport bottle of water.  
> -He asks Katie how she is feeling and she snaps, listing everything thats has happened in the past few hours and asking how he think's she's feeling. Bogh comments she cant be so bad if she can still sass, but tells her as long as she and her father do what they're told, she'll be comfortable enough, but warns her not to make things harder for herself out of pride when she doesn't need to. He offers her some paracetamol, showing her the packet so that she can see it hasn't been tampered with.  
> -Katie is dubious, but aches and pains are getting to her, and though she doesn't want anymore drugs, thinks it might help her sleep properly, something she knows she needs if she wants to get her energy back, so agrees.  
> -Once he helps her take them, he tells her he's going to gag her again, which she tries to roll away from him to avoid. He tells her to stop being difficult, and she snaps again. Katie spits in his eye and confronts him about his betrayal: ' _I trusted you! Shiro trusted you! Matt, mum and dad, we all did! You knew what my words were!You knew and you sti_ —'  
> -Bogh grabs hold of her and cuts her off with the gag; while he still has hold of her chin, he presses a finger in a ' _hush_ ' gesture over her lips, and gives her a warning—' _I’d keep your comments about those to yourself here, Princess; I’ll come back with food for you later. You're here now, so make yourself comfortable, and get some rest._ '—before leaving the room, and locking her inside.


	4. Good Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter contains torture through cigarette burns.
> 
> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

Bogh indeed fulfilled his promise to return with food later, because Katie remembered waking up when he came back.

It was bleary, but she was reasonably sure that he’d sat her up against the wall and more or less hand-fed her rather than untie her. Some sort of chicken dippers situation? She couldn't remember that clearly. She just knew she had been fed and watered.

She had felt terrible, but knew she couldn’t afford to waste any food she was offered. If she wanted any chance of escaping, she needed some of her strength back. So, she’d forced herself to eat it, hoping the churning in her guts had would pass. It had been over a day since she last ate something, by her very uncertain guess, and she knew she had to eat.

Before Bogh could gag her again, she threw it back up. He’d carried her through to the small shower room, holding her over the toilet as she coughed and heaved it back up until there was nothing left but bile in her guts. Then it got hazy again. 

Some other guy—older—had been brought into the room, and he’d asked her a bunch of questions. ‘ _It’s just the last of the Q working its way out of her system,_ ’ he’d told Bogh, after prodding and interrogating her about how crap she’d felt. ‘ _Keep an eye on her until she falls asleep, just in case she’s sick again._ ’

Not long after that, she’d definitely passed out, with the luxury of a mouth to breath freely out of if she wanted. Bogh sat in a chair against the wall beside the mattress, reading his eBooks, but he didn’t gag her again. 

She should have called out for help then. They had been practically religious in keeping her gagged, and had probably only left it off her in case she choked on her own vomit. The fact that they were so careful about it meant that she was somewhere where it was possible she would be overheard. But she didn't, mostly because she didn't have the strength or awareness to do so.

Upon waking up, it had been replaced, though without the rag inside her mouth; just more tape. It was a small blessing but one worth counting.

It was strange, orientating herself again, but she didn't feel like she was dying, or as hot and shivering as before. Her throat didn't feel as bad, and her arms were looser. Checking once she registered that, she found the rope around her upper arms had been taken off; her hands were still tied behind her, around her wrists and just above her elbows, but it wasn't quite as uncomfortable. Well, relatively speaking.

She was still tied up in the company of a psychopath and her supposed bodyguard, potentially half-way across the country, and being used for extortion with the threat of death, torture, and bodily harm against her father in exchange for what sounded like some kind of weapon. 

She hadn’t heard all of the details the day she’d seen her parents, she’d been more worried about breathing, but it was suffice to say her situation wasn't anywhere close to ‘ _comfortable_ ’.

Thinking of her family made her wonder how much time had passed. It had been late in the day when she’d seen them on the screen, but she’d been so in and out of it she couldn't tell how long ago that was.

Thinking about it made her eyes itch, and she rolled over, hiding her face into the pillow; she wondered what they were thinking. She hated knowing that they’d seen her like that, reduced to the equivalent of a rag doll, hated the memory of fear in her mother’s voice that had drifted through the speakers. The screaming when Sendak had…

She shivered, trying not to think about it. Bad enough she was in this situation without thinking about anything that would just make her feel worse, or more scared than she was already. 

And she was scared. Terrified. For as much as she was determined to get away, to escape, to see her family again, she was terrified. Cut off from anyone remotely trustworthy and controlled by force, how else was she supposed to feel? It had been there since she first woke up in the van, when she tried to shout for help in the car, and it had only grown since arriving here.

Katie wished she’d paid more attention when Shiro had tried to get her to take on self-defence lessons, instead of rolling her eyes, pulling her sleeves over her words, and ignoring the recommendation. 

She wished she’d been less willing to be naïve about her future, taken on even a smidge of the caution her parents had urged on her. Maybe then, she could have avoided ending up in this situation. 

Maybe if she’d picked that other guy instead of Bogh when Shiro started cutting down his hours so he could make it to adoption meetings, she wouldn't have been kidnapped by crazy Purificationists.

It had taken a while to remember where she had heard the name ‘ _Sendak_ ’ before, but Bogh’s warning not to talk about her Soulmark jolted her memory; she’d heard it on a news steam after one of the last attacks. It didn't exactly fill her with confidence—one of the ringleaders of a terrorist group would probably not be prone to taking chances or laxity—but at least she had an idea of who she was dealing with.

After maybe an hour of privacy to her own thoughts, she heard the door—the scrape of a lock and the click of a handle. Bogh stepped back inside, a bowl in his hand. Glowering, she watched as he closed it behind him, twisting the key and pocketing it before looking in her direction.

“Good to see you back to normal,” he noted, crossing the room towards her; setting down the bowl, she could see it had some sort of porridge in it as he sat her up and pulled away the strip of tape from her mouth.

She winced as it pulled at her skin; the first ones hadn’t been so bad, but all the on-again-off-again was starting to hurt. Not like her head did, but she could tell it was starting to get sensitive. Bogh eyed her critically, running a thumb over the marks before turning back to the bowl and glad he’d brought in. “Hungry?” He asked.

Looking back at the porridge, she wrinkled her nose at the spoon he held up. “Can’t I feed myself at least?” she asked.

“After all the trouble you gave us on the trip?” He raised an eyebrow at her, then chuckled. “Sorry Katie, you’ll have to try harder than that,” he replied without hesitation. “Lahn might be dumb enough to underestimate you, but that’s why he does the driving, not the thinking. Do you want this or not?” He held up the spoon.

Katie didn’t know whether or not it was a compliment or if he was just being condescending. But so far Bogh was the only person out of all the people she’d had the displeasure of meeting over the past however many days that she’d actually spoken to, and unsettlingly, the sarcasm wasn’t new with him. 

It was part of why she’d picked him out when her dad and Shiro interviewed him; if she’d had to be stuck with another babysitter, she’d thought, they might as well be funny. What a joke that had turned out to be.

Reluctantly—reminding herself once again that she couldn’t afford to lose any strength or energy by turning food away—she nodded, and stuffed her indignation and mortification down long enough to suffer the humiliation of being spoon fed. 

Thankfully, it didn’t take too long, and after a drink of water, she steeled herself, anticipating the tape again. It didn’t come; instead Bogh picked up the hold-all on the other side of the room and dropped it into the shower room. 

Then he disappeared for a while, rummaging around inside the room, past where she could see inside. Then he headed back and sat down in front her. “Legs,” he ordered.

“What?” She demanded, pulling them closer. “Why?

“Because you stink of boke and sweat,” he said. “You can’t shower like this.”

She stared at him, perplexed; he wouldn’t let her feed herself, but she was being allowed to shower without being restrained? How did that make sense? Not that she wanted to be hosed down to stay clean—or worse, get cleaned up manually, so to speak—but considering how anal they’d been about limiting her movement, it was confusing to the point of unsettling.

“The door locks from this side,” he said, a patient tone in his voice. “There’s no windows, just an air vent that goes directly outside, and even _you_ aren’t tiny enough to fit through it,” he added. “I’m going to untie your legs, then once we get to the door, I’ll untie your arms. You’ll be locked in until you’re ready to come out,” he explained.

She chewed her lip over it. On the one hand, he was right—her hair was a mess and she could smell the sweat, feel the grease that came with all the stress and sickness on her skin—but she also wasn’t sure that the idea of being naked, even for the purposes of hygiene, was appealing in this situation. She was just supposed to accept the seemingly generous offer of privacy at face value?

“What, so someone can film me?” She asked. “You going to send that to my dad too?”

Bogh snorted. “Princess, if anyone was interested in that, you’d know it by now,” he said bluntly. “Luckily for you no-one has a bondage kink,”—he dodged as she kicked in his direction—“Relax, there’s no cameras. We aren’t that sort of group.”

“No, just arson bombing terrorists,” she spat. “I’m supposed to just take your word for that?” She asked, tone scathing. “I’ll be honest, I’m not really keen to trust anything you have to say right now Bogh.”

“You’ll be untied in there,” he pointed out. “You can check yourself. Just keep your trap shut,” his tone changed, and couldn't help bracing herself a little as his voice changed from the sarcastic bodyguard she was familiar with to the man who’d half-heartedly apologised as he sedated her in her lab. “One peep, and I’ll open the door and gag you again, regardless of what you’re doing. Understand?”

After another long silence—trying to decide if it was worth the risk—she nodded. She could check the room. And if she still didn't like it, she didn't have to shower. She wouldn't die from it. And even if she wasn't reassured enough to shower, she could still sit for a while without her arms and legs trussed up.

“Alright,” she said finally, uncurling her legs from her chest.

Bogh deflated a bit, and set about pulling away the thin, tight ropes around her ankles, then the ones above and below her knees. The release of the tension made her legs feel heavier somehow, and when Bogh grabbed hold of her arm, they were shaky as he walked her across the floor to the bathroom doorway.by the time she reached it, she didn't have much objection when he forced her to sit down just inside the doorway.

“Clothes and wash things,” he said, pointing to the hold-all before unfastening the ties above her elbows. Staring into the bag she felt a bit sick seeing her own clothes and shower gel, the half-used shampoo and conditioner taken straight from her apartment.

He grabbed hold of her wrists, loosening the knots, but leaving the rope wrapped around them. “This should be enough for you to finish yourself” he said, still holding both her hands tight in one grip, leaning over her shoulder. “Remember what I told you Katie; not. One. Sound.”

And with the warning, he dropped his grip, closing the door behind him before she had finished untangling herself from the looser ropes. It locked before she could get to her feet, but she didn't try the handle.

For one thing, she’d have to get past Bogh, and another locked door. For another, she could hardly stand after being cut off from nearly all movement for… however long it had been. She still had to find out. She could ask Bogh, but she didn't know if he’d tell her. Or if it would be reliable.

Any kind of information about her circumstances beyond what Sendak wanted her to know would probably be kept from her. She’d have to memorise whatever she could overhear if she wanted a chance of getting out of her new prison.

Looking around the bathroom as she spread across the tile floor, waiting for some feeling to come back where the ropes had been, for her legs to stop shaking, she frowned; Bogh hadn’t been lying about the air vent.

It was a metal one, in the opposite wall from the shower head, and barely larger than a postbox with some poor fitting screws in the corners. There was a towel in the bag, and from what she could see, no cameras. The only place she could see to hide one was inside the vent itself.

After a wait, she sat up, not wanting to overdo it. Gingerly climbing over the side of the tub, and using the shower railing to hoist herself up onto the sides to reach the vent, she peered through it, flicking cover back. Nothing there. She could however see a horizon over the top of skyscrapers and apartment buildings. None that stood out though. They were too far away and the view was too limited to tell much.

Not wanting to wear herself out, she looked around at the rest of the room, double checking anything that looked like it could be hiding a camera. After standing on the toilet and sink to check some shelves, she finally decided that unless something was hidden behind the walls or in the light (neither or which she could reach) there really weren’t any cameras.

Unhooking the shower head from the holder, she decided to take the offer while it was there, going through the bag and taking her things, trying to focus on the monotony of the semi-normal routine. Like when she stopped over at Matt and Romelle’s when she had extra lecture to go to, and unpacked her things on arriving.

After playing around with the shower settings, working out how to get the temperature right, she left it running and sat down in the bottom of the tub, pulling the curtain on. She didn't want to stand up and risk falling over with the water. Just getting up to the vent had made her legs go wobbly again, so she’d just have to sit and rinse herself off.

It didn't take too long. Her hair was a mess, and she had to brush it through before washing it. Between the microfoam pulling and yanking on it, and being tossed around in vans and cars, it hadn’t coped well. There were red patches on her arms and legs from the ropes too. Not to mention the bruises on her neck. She looked awful, though she kind of figured that was earned and a reasonable expectation.

Once she’d sluiced off the dirt and cleaned herself down, and washed her hair, she poked an arm out behind the curtain for the towel she’d left on the toilet seat, wrapping it around her before she poked her head out from around the curtain to grab her clothes.

She didn't know what she had expected when she looked through the bag, but the neat orderly packing of t-shirts and jeans and leggings, the woven toiletries bag that her underwear had been tucked in, out of sight, and another for all the shark week stuff, wasn't it.

This really had been planned down to the minute details. There was at least a month’s supply of things in the hold all, neatly packed like she was going on holiday, or a weekend trip with Romelle, Vrek, and Allura. It churned her stomach.

Katie tried not to think about it, pulling on some jeans and a sports bra beneath the camo t-shirt she pulled out. No shoes or socks though, which was probably deliberate. Her trainers had gone missing at some point too, probably taken off her (in case she did find a way out).

After that, she squidged out all the water from her hair as best she could with the towel, brushing it through again, tying it into a low ponytail. The shower at least made her feel less grimy, a little better, and while she’d have to deal with wet hair, it was better than nothing.

Once done, she stuffed her clothes from the past however-long into the bag, wondering if she could just sit here until Bogh got impatient and came looking. Then she scrapped the idea. She couldn't stay in the bathroom forever, and at least if she told him when she was done she wouldn’t be dragged out by her hair or something.

She didn't know enough to start taking too many chances. Clearly they weren’t expecting her to be going anywhere for a while, so she just had to play patient and try and figure out how things worked. The sooner she could do that, the sooner she could work out a way to leave.

Taking a few deep breaths, she knocked on the door a few times. “Bogh?” she called out hesitantly—she hated this, knowing what she was walking right back into, but she didn't know any other options yet. “I’m done.”

There was some shuffling. “Alright, face the wall and sit down on the floor.”

She blinked at the order, looking up, wondering if she had maybe missed a camera—how was he supposed to know she was doing what he told her to otherwise?—before her eyes settled on a sliding grate that had been fitted to the door.

It was closed, and only the sink could really be seen from the narrow view it would offer, but it would be enough for someone to have a quick glance through; at least she’d changed and dried off in the shower tub itself, off to the side and out of view.

Sitting down as he’d told her, she heard the slice of the grate opening and closing, then the lock, and the door itself opening. Before she could do much more than look over her shoulder, Bogh had already grabbed hold her wrists.

He held them behind herewith one hand, tying those off first. Then he looped the rope back around her upper arms, and folded her arms up, tying her wrists to the ropes, like they had been when she first woke up. Katie couldn't help wincing a little at the ache that set in with it.

“Sorry, but Sendak has plans today,” Bogh said, catching the wince as he spun her around, sitting on her legs before she could kick him and pulling the rest back around her knees and ankles. “I’ll change it when he’s done with you, if you behave.”

The relative peace and calm that had come from her brief reprieve in the shower drained in an instant as he pulled a blindfold around her eyes, then slung her over his shoulder.

“Wait, what?” she demanded, her heart beating in her throat as his steps drummed into the floorboards. “What do you _mean?_ What plans? _Bogh!_ Where are you taking me?”

He didn’t answer and a layer of unease began to line her stomach as he carried her out of the room like a sack of potatoes. She heard the door being unlocked, but not closed, then they were moving up. Or down? She couldn’t tell.

“Hey, you can’t just drop something like that and ignore me!” She protested, flailing, trying to kick her ex-bodyguard. “What’s going on? Bogh!”

“Nothing extreme Miss Holt,” a voice that sent chills down her pack with its pleasant, conversational warmth said as Bogh sat her down on what felt like a chair. “I believe I haven’t introduced myself properly to you yet,” he continued as Bogh fastened her to it with a length around her chest again.

The blindfold was pulled away, and she found herself staring at the man from the terrifying video call. “My name is Sendak, which I’m sure you remember,” he said, sitting down in the chair beside her. “How are you feeling?”

Besides the fear almost palatable on her tongue, like phantom fingers around her neck that stopped her voice and breath, she was stunned by the question. Bogh had asked the same one and she’d snapped at him but when Sendak asked it, she didn’t feel the same quick retort. Well… Not immediately, but it still came.

“Take a wild guess,” she muttered, not trusting herself to deal with the man reasonably or calm enough to think about her words. “You’re the one who had me poisoned and strangled.”

A smile curled on his lips, hinted with amusement. “I believe the poisoning was Bogh’s responsibility, but I will apologise for the second unfortunate event,” he said reaching out and holding her chin.

She recoiled in the chair as she felt his fingers turning her head, brushing over the bruises on her neck. “I have no personal vendetta against you Miss Holt, nor take any pleasure from causing you discomfort, but your father needed to understand the implications of your stay here,” he said, like he was explaining something simple.

He tilted her head back firmly, angling her chin to get a better look at the now purple marks on her neck. “We’ll have to wait till they heal up more before a call,” he mused. “But that’s no matter. He understands my demands and agreed to them; unless he causes needless delays or refuses, you won’t suffer a repeat of that experience.” 

“My dad doesn’t make weapons,” she snapped, pulling her head back from his touch as the grip lessened. “He never has, and he’s not a microtech engineer anymore! He doesn't know the new technology! He can’t do what you’re asking him!”

“Nonsense,” Sendak snorted, taking a box of cigarettes from his pocket and putting one to his lips. “He has the brain to, he just won’t apply it the right way—a knife is a tool until you put it in the hands of a killer, correct?” He asked. Katie wasn’t sure if she was supposed to agree or not. “The neutralisers are much the same. Now that he has the correct motivation to do so,” his eyes levelled on her as he lit the tube. “I doubt it will take him much time at all.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. She wanted to tell him he was wrong but she’d heard her father agree to his demands with her own ears, so she couldn’t exactly claim he wouldn’t do it. The thought of it made her stomach churn, and she distracted herself, looking around at the room again.

She still couldn’t see behind her, and it was the same room as the first one she’d been brought to. Just clearer than before. Probably because she wasn’t hopped up on sedatives this time. There was a screen on the table she’d been sat down beside, along with a few wires and connections, but little else.

Sendak picked something else up off the table; a cheap looking mobile phone, and started pressing buttons on the keypad. “Now that you’ve recovered somewhat, I need you to do your part too, Miss Holt,” he said. “It’s been a few days since my chat with your parents, so I’m sure your family would appreciate an update; I’d like you to pass a message on to your brother for me,” he said.

Katie frowned; he wanted her to talk to Matt? 

Sendak clicked the mouse and the screen on the table flickered to life, showing the interior of her brother’s office down at the lab building. Shiro was there too, and a man with dark hair pulled into a ponytail and leather biking jacket she didn’t recognise.

The thought was that he had cameras there was chilling, and she almost didn’t hear him as she stared at the screen; “Pass on the message and you can have five minutes to talk with him. Isn’t that fair?”

“No.”

The word came out before she thought about it, and his gaze settled on her with a less congenial set to his brows. “You don’t want to talk to your brother?” He asked. “Or you don’t think it’s a fair offer? The message won’t take long. I won’t even time you on it.”

She bit her lip, digging her fingernails into the ropes around her back, trying to keep her frustration to herself. “Of course I want to talk to him,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Then do as you are told, and pass on the message,” Sendak repeated, his voice harder.

“No,” she repeated, voice shaking despite herself. “I’m not going to help you blackmail my family just because you’ve forced me to be here!” She said, unwilling to change her mind just because of a bit of fear. “Go fuck yourself.”

His face didn’t really change; Sendak just let out a sort of disappointed sigh, 

“You know, I told your father that I’d burn a tally into your skin for every day I wasn’t informed of his progress,” he said, brushing the ash from the end of his cigarette; it fluttered to the floor as he stood up and turned her face, forcing her to look him in the eye. “You’ve been in my care for four days now.” 

Katie squirmed away from the touch as he brought the cigarette to his lips, unsuccessful in her bid to pull her chin free. Four days? Had it been that long since Bogh kidnapped her? She wasn’t sure if it felt like more or less, but it was still too much. 

“While contact with him is my responsibility, that is still four days without news of his work so far,” Sendak continued, stooping with an arm around the back of the chair as he turned her head towards the screen. “Luckily for him, I’m reasonable—I’m waiting until I see his work to judge it’s merit. I can be reasonable with you too, Katie. One message for five minutes,” he said, moving her hair out of the way so it didn’t tug beneath his arm. “Don’t you think that’s fair?”

She watched the glowing end of the cigarette, loitering ominously in the hand he had slung around her shoulders. Clenching her teeth, stomping down her initial protests, she listened instead to the instincts screaming at her to play along, and nodded once.

“I thought so,” he hummed, the sound of approval in his voice.

Her shoulders slumped, then the hand on her face covered her mouth, pulling her head forward by her jaw, before something seared into the back of her neck. Screaming out, she thrashed against the restraints as the same awful pain and heat burned into her a second, third, and fourth time.

He let go of her hand as she sagged against the rope holding her in the chair, choking on the pain and tears that had come with it until he hooked a finger under her chin, holding up the phone again.

“I am going to give you a message, which you are going to tell your brother, he stated. “And that is all you’re going to tell him, or the next thing I stub this cigarette out in will be your ears, since you can’t seem to respond to simple instructions," he said calmly. "Or have you learned how to listen to what I tell you now?”

Trying not to choke, she nodded, quickly, several times. The man kept hold of her as he tapped the number into the phone again, before holding it up to his ear. Eyes drifting to the screen, she had to screw her eyes shut as Matt picked up his phone from his desk. 

She couldn’t watch this.

‘ _Who is this? Hello?_ ’ he asked through the speaker. 

“I’m sure you recognise my voice Matthew,” Sendak said. “Now be a good man and pop your phone onto speaker. I have someone here with a message for you.”

The phone was pressed to her ear and she bit her lip through the stinging pain in the back of her neck and she heard the fumbling. _‘I-It’s on…’_ Matt’s voice was shaky. _‘Hello?’_

Katie felt her efforts to avid her current distress spilling into the call fall to pieces. She hadn’t really thought about how she would feel hearing his voice, but it was the video call all over again.

“M-Matt?” she asked, trying to keep the tears out of her voice as she felt the wave of homesickness wash over her.

 _‘Pidge? Katie? Is that you?’_ he asked.

“Yeah,” she nodded, still screwing her eyes shut so she didn't have to watch his reaction to her on the screen. “It’s me.”

 _‘Don’t worry,’_ Matt said, quick but assuring tone in his voice. _‘Dad’s doing what they told him, okay? He’s not going to let that Sendak guy hurt you like that again. Is your head okay? Where it got banged?’_

Before she could reply, she felt Sendak squeeze around the back of her neck, stinging the burns as he murmured the message he wanted her to pass on into her ear.

“Matt,” her voice choked up with fresh tears from the pain. “Matt, I’m sorry, I can’t—” she bit her lip, hoping Matt would forgive her for this. She wanted to talk to him. Desperately. She wanted to go home. She should have listened, but she’d taken a chance she shouldn’t have with the wrong person. “—II’m supposed... He wants me to tell you something…To tell dad…”

 _‘Hey, hey, it’s okay,’_ he said, after a short pause. _‘Just tell me. We can talk later sis. Okay?’_

She could hear the panic and fear on his voice, behind the calm and easy words he spoke for her, to try and keep her calm, safe from whatever was lingering behind her, and as the tears thickened in her voice from the genuine care, concern and affection, she managed a weak-willed “Okay,” in return.

She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to put her brother through this. It was bad enough her father was being manipulated through her. Did they have to do the same to Matt too? Was Sendak going to do something else to her mother? What about her grandparents? Would he make her call grandma and granddad like this too?

 _‘Alright sis, I’m listening, just take your time,’_ Matt said, his voice coaxing and gentle, reliant. _‘What do you got for me?”_

“He…” She stopped, trying to get her voice less convoluted and congested. “…Dad…” she clenched her teeth, forcing the words onto her tongue “Sendak wants him to… ' _put on a show,_ ' at… at his next press conference…”

 _‘Alright, I’ll handle it,’_ Matt said, his voice sure. _‘Don’t worry okay? We'll get this sorted. Nothing is going to happen to you.’_

That was the final straw on what her self-control could handle, and she sobbed as Sendak began to pull back, snapping his fingers at Bogh. “Matt, I’m sorry! I didn’t—” Sendak’s hand clamped over her mouth as Bogh pulled the blindfold back over her eyes. 

_‘Katie!’_

“I’m glad I was able to catch you Matthew, I’d hate to interrupt any meetings you have,” Sendak said, taking over the call. 

“No! Please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she begged, wrenching her head free as Bogh unfasten the rope around the chair and hoisted her into his grip. “ _Please!_ Let me talk to my broth–” His hand spread over her mouth as he carried her away, and she thrashed until she could shake it off again. “Matt! Ma—

“We’ll be back in touch after the next press conference. I assume your companion is a member of the investigation team?”

Bogh’s fingers tightened as he carried her away ignore her thrashing and kicks and struggles with the same ease he had before, until she heard the door closed behind them. 

“I told you not to make things worse for yourself,” he said, his tone and voice softer, almost concerned.

He dropped her back onto the mattress, and just like before he patched her up, ignoring the sobs still choking through her. Fixing a bandage over the back of her neck once done he crouched down to look her in the eye. “I’m going to gag you again,” he warned her. 

She didn’t have the energy to complain as he shoved a rag in her mouth, fixing it in with the tape he wound around her jaw, and under her ponytail; she just tried to ignore the throbbing pain in her neck as it tightened over the bandage.

He left the room, and she curled up again, cursing herself for being her own impulsive, stubborn, worst enemy. 

She had known that Sendak was dangerous, but ignored the warnings she’d been picking up on, and for what? A few moments of feeling like he didn’t control her? Trying to be brave? Keeping some dignity? What good was that going to do her?

She needed to get a grip. She needed to be smarter. She needed to be patient, not impulsive, and keep her anger and frustration to herself. 

Then, maybe, she might stand a chance of finding a way to escape.

* * *

So. That’s katie’s POV for the recent scenes….  ~~ _hides_ ~~

I'm sorry for the misleading title; Katie really isn't having a good morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TL;DR
> 
> -Katie wakes up after being left in her 'room'. She feels terrible and has a poor sense of how much time has passed. She is sick a few times, bogh appearing to make sure she doesn't choke on her own vomit.
> 
> -Another cultist checks her over, and she is left to sleep off the drugs without being gagged, but she feels too ill to try and call for help.
> 
> -Waking up, she is still gagged, but not with the rag, just tape, so she can breathe a little easier. Bogh returns and helps her eat something. he comments he's glad she's feeling better, but refuses to untie her to feed herself when she asks and tell her to 'try harder.' He then tells her she can shower.
> 
> -Katie is suspicious of cameras, but eventually agrees, if only to get some time untied.
> 
> -Bogh carries her to the side bathroom and unties all but her wrists completely. He loosens those and warns her not to make any noise, or he'll come back in regardless of what she's doing. he then closes. The door behind her, and it is locked.
> 
> -Katie gets some clothes from a hold-all that had been packed with her clothes, feeling a bit sick still, and sits on the floor for a while before looking around.
> 
> -She can't find any cameras and finds a vent with a view of a city somewhere, but Katie can't see enough to know where. Still unsure, she changes and dries off behind the shower curtain.
> 
> -After knocking and calling bogh once done, he ties her up again, mentioning when she winces at the ropes that he might change it a bit if she behaves; Sendak wants to see her.
> 
> -Katie panics, and demands some sort of explanation after he blindfolds her and carries her out of the room, but Bogh refuses to say anymore.
> 
> -Sendak apologises for the call with her dad, claiming he has no personal issues with her, he just had to make a point, and that provided all goes well, she won't have a repeat of the experience. 
> 
> -Katie is adamant that her dad wont do what he wants, that he can't, that he's never made weapons, etc, but Sendak brushed the comment off between drags of a cigarette, and tells her he wants her to pass a message on to her brother. He tells her in exchange can talk to him for a few minutes.
> 
> -She tells him no, that she isn't going to help him blackmail her family just because he's forced her to be there, and impulsively adds a 'go fuck yourself.'
> 
> -Sendak is a little annoyed and reminds her that he told her father he would burn a tally onto her skin for every day he didn't hear from him, and that its been four days since he arrived. since contact with sam is his responsibility, he isn't going to decide until he sees his work, so he'll be reasonable with her too, and repeats the offer.
> 
> -Katie eyes the cigarette then agrees reluctantly.
> 
> -Sendak is pleased, but covers her mouth with his hand and exposes the back of her neck, burning her with the cigarette four times, then tells her that she will pass on his message to matt, and nothing else unless she wants him to stub it out in her ears next for not listening.
> 
> -Katie then talks to matt, watching him in his office with someone she doesn't recognise on the computer screen before Bogh takes her back to her room.
> 
> -Bogh patches her up, cleaning the burns a bit, and gags her again, locking the door behind him when he leaves.
> 
> -Katie is frustrated, scared, now in pain, and angry at herself for trying to be brave and take chances when she didn't need to, for not listing to her own instincts, and for going with instant reactions instead of trying to think. She reminds herself she needs to be smarter if she wants to escape.


	5. Unpredictability

Ryner Stirling was an elderly woman in her seventies, though she had a level of motor skill and good health that was sometimes unusual amongst her age group. That blessing however, still didn’t mean she had the physical means to stop an abduction, however much she might have wished to.

Her ex-husband Lubos had been a result of infatuated soul-meet bliss she later learned hadn’t been her best choice, but they’d managed to return to being friends in their silver years, after the kids had moved on to dramatic love stories and heartbreaks of their own.

Lubos hadn’t exactly been perfect, but he’d encouraged her to come out of her shell around people and relax, something that had never come to her naturally and at twenty-one, she’d been convinced he wasn’t just her soulmate, but the love of her life.

Maybe he had been. She’d lived long enough to know that the love of your life might not be good for you, or even stay a constant through it the way people hoped before love’s first sting.

She didn’t have any regrets or antagonism as far as he was concerned. They just stopped working as a couple, and knew it was time to move on to separate lives after the kids made it to college. 

She’d moved there for a while, wanting to stay close to them. Partly because she remembered being a teenager in college, and knew how much she’d relied on her mothers as a struggling mathematics student, and partly because she’d never lived in a city before.

When she’d been a student, she’d lived in Griezian City, and despite the name, it hadn’t been that big of a place; the town had two hundred thousand people at most. Hardly a drop of water in the ocean or speck of sand on the sea bed compared to how large Marchanda was. 

When Lubos had called her to tell her about his diagnosis, that his number would be up soon, and asked for her help putting everything in order inheritance wise for the kids, she hadn't gone just back to be there; it had been an excuse to escape the hustle and bustle she’d been nervous to leave after twenty years.

The city wasn’t bad per se. Just busy and hectic in a way that she had never meshed with. Things were measured, steadier outside the sprawling metropolis where her son and daughters currently thrived with their own families, and knowing they had landed on their feet, she was happier moving back to the old man’s estate.

There wasn’t really that much to do. Lubos wasn't the best person in the world, but he could get things done when he had to, and was happy to do so when needed. Most of the arrangements were in place. She had a feeling he just wanted assurance from someone at the end, and that wasn’t a request she would deny him.

She didn’t love romantically him anymore, but his jokes were as idiotic as they had ever been, even on his deathbed, and she knew he was worried about the dog. It was hard for him to let the kids see him like that as his condition worsened too, when he asked to leave the hospital so he could have his final days in more comfort.

She’d seen him at his best and worst, so offering that support was no more unusual than laughing at the poor selfies he’d sent her from his bird-watching tour before the diagnosis.

He’d left her the estate and a quarter of the funding from his accounting business, and the dog. She spent the money fixing up the estate where it had started falling down with Lubos’s failing health and on a hydro-cruise, which she had returned from on the 30th of June. By the time of the incident in the early hours of the 6th of July, she had fallen back into the relaxed pace of life beyond the city with ease.

It wasn’t too far from Griezian, but closer to Marchanda than other options she had looked at, so moving in was a no brainer. She wondered if that was why Lubos had bought it too. 

Rover was certainly happy running around the small section of private woodland and the overgrown fields behind it, where the track to the ramblers’ walks had a car park amongst the forestry commission woodland.

He was old too, but also fit enough if he took the paths at his own pace, and so his daily walks were enjoyable for them both. She’d never had a pet—Lubos got him after the divorce—but he was nice company, and provided an ear or paw when she needed to grumble when yet another house problem her late ex-husband had forgotten to get sorted appeared.

On Tuesday the 6th of July, the same evening walk had proven to be just like any other. They made their way across the fields and through the private section of forest, onto the public pathway, heading down to the forestry commission carpark, and looping back around to the house.

There had been a few hovercars sitting there, and she didn't blink at them. People often parked up and went camping or walking overnight in the area. It was popular with hill walkers and nature enthusiasts. They’d taken the kids camping herself in different spots, so when she saw the dark land rover sitting unoccupied, it didn’t come across as particularly strange. 

It wasn't the first lonely car to be left there overnight, and wouldn't be the last. She walked past it, and headed on home. Rover had his dinner—some grilled chicken for the overly spoilt but loyal dog he was—and with her own on her plate, they tucked in, settling down for the night with the news-streams and old comedy re-runs until it was past midnight.

She dozed off on the sofa, lights ablaze and the local Yalmors screaming through the dusk with their cries, until Rover woke her up, whining and running back and forth to the door in a manner that said if she didn't put her boots and coat on to let him out, she’d have a mess that it really was far too late to deal with all over the floor.

Reluctantly, she picked up his lead and her coat, and pulled on her shoes.

It wasn't really so bad; at least Rover tried to tell her these things, and he was an old dog. It wasn't his fault if he had a bit of a weak bladder nowadays. She had her arthritis, and on those days, she had to call the girl at the next house over to make sure he got his afternoon walks.

The night was cool and calm, and while she could have just taken him into the garden, she wasn't really tired thanks to the TV nap. Another walk would help him sleep for the night, and maybe get her own rhythm back on track.

Rover was, of course, thrilled to be out again, and after his business was complete. He darted about on the lead, barking cheerfully as they walked on the path at the edge of the woods.

When the barking started to get more pronounced, and he tried to run off, she had to quickly pull the lead back in. “Rover!” she scolded. “Leave the pine martins alone!” she told him, assuming he’d spotted something in the trees on one opposite side of the path. “Hush now!”

He whined but did as he was told, and they continued on the walk, sheltered from the cooler breeze by the trees springing up now on either side of the pathway; they were thick until reaching the car park, where the drive to their own home joined the track to the main gridway.

She followed the path again, but before she could round the corner, something that was definitely not a hare bristled though the leaves, sound carried by the morning chill.

“...meone’s there, help me!” someone screamed, the dry female voice shattering the calm tween-time between the dark of the evening and summer push of the sunrise. “Please! Help! Hel—”

“Hello?” Ryner called out, holding Rover’s lead steady as she looked around the path, through the pine trees.

The sound had disappeared almost as soon as she had heard it, but while her ears were old, and the sound distant, it had still been clear. Unless she had imagined it? She was tired, but no. Not that tired. Rover whined at her feet where she had stopped, tugging on his lead and circling anxiously.

Perhaps it had been a hiking accident? The local fells were high and grand, but treacherous for climbers who were overeager, impatient, or without a proper guide. 

“Which way?” she asked the dog 

He nudged her lead, not running, but pulling, checking she was following every once in a while, as he led her on the turning path.

“Is someone there?” she called out, looking around the trees—hikers normally had lights, but she didn't see any at all. 

“...elp, please! Help!” they screamed again, “Someone’s kidnapping me! Help, please! Help me! Help! Help! Help! Please, help m—”

The words sent a chill through her. In the dark, it was hard to make anything out, but Ryner could hear the voice now. It was louder, and desperate. A young, terrified voice. She was close to it too. Was it coming from the carpark? Rover pulled on his lead in that direction, and Ryner followed the old dog.

The rough ground was shaky as she made her way into the trees, shushing Rover, creeping through them carefully. The car park was a bit around the corner, and still out of view, but she couldn't risk being spotted on the path.

The sight that met her eyes was horrifying, and she crouched, her hand going around Rover's snout, with silent whispers demanding silence from him as she watched. She was close enough to see what the two broad-shouldered, tall men were doing, and hear pieces of the conversation as they manhandled the poor brown-haired woman desperately trying to scream out from the back of a car.

If she had been a younger woman, and stronger, Ryner might have rushed out, but where Lubos had encouraged her to relax, she had always encouraged him to think; she knew this situation was disadvantageous to both herself and the woman in the car. 

“...Hold her steady,” the first man said, stuffing a wad of fabric into the woman’s mouth, trapping it there with tape. 

Silently, Ryner begged forgiveness for not intervening directly, but the size of those two men? She feared she would be very little help, potentially none at all. For now, they seemed to be content assuming no one had heard them, and Ryner could do more good identifying them, the car, and what they were saying than letting herself or Rover get involved directly. 

It was harder to not follow the impulse generated by another human cry for help though. She clung to Rover for her own benefit as much as she did to keep him from disturbing and announcing their presence.

“Fucking hell, Lahn! We could have avoided all this if you’d just gagged her properly to begin with! Keep hold of her while I do this.”

Once the urge to rush out had been sated with logic and reason, she peered back again, trying to see their faces. For the woman, it was harder to tell, but Ryner could tell her hair was long when Ponytail backed away for a moment. It definitely went past her shoulders; she could see the man moving it out of the way as she continued to twist and struggle and scream as he trapped her screams, and began to check her restraints.

Ryner begged fate gave her the opportunity to go unnoticed if she couldn't intervene as the first man fiddled, arguing with his accomplice, and the woman kicked desperately at them both, her struggles clattering on the side of the van. 

“Fucking hell,” the second man swore.“Do something! Someone’s going to hear her!”

The first man nodded, looking around for something. A needle that went into their captive’s neck. In mere moments, her struggles were weakened, her cries faded, the woman’s terrified, muffled sobs were the only noise Ryner could hear. 

“There we go,” the first said, “For someone so small you’re almost more trouble than you’re worth…”

No. She couldn't fall asleep. A sedate haze began to creep over her and she sobbed, trying to look around, move, do anything to keep herself awake, trying even to see her captor’s faces. Anything. She tried shifting, angling her head, but her body was utterly slumped

“That’s it, just relax Katie,” he huffed, patting her cheek with his bleeding hand. “ It’ll be easier. You’re not making any more noise or going anywhere now, so just let the drug do its work, and you can sleep through all this; doesn't that sound better Princess?”

The expression on the woman's face was one Ryner couldn't bring herself to look at, guilt coursing through her as she held onto Rover, covering her own own gasps of dismay; the woman was crying, obviously terrified as the man spoke to her.

Still shushing Rover, Ryner peered again, trying to get a glimpse of the two men, and the woman, trying to get a better look at their faces. 

The first one had a mohawk-ponytail, the other a shaved head but for a shaggy strip in the middle of his head running to his neck, and sideburns to match—Lahn, the one with the sideburns was called Lahn, she’d heard the other man use his name—but she couldn’t quite make much else out. 

The first man flipped up the tailboard and pulled on the shelf-blind, before slamming the boot door into place. Before it closed, Ryner got another very brief glimpse of the unconscious woman’s face.

Rounded, but mature; she wasn't a teenager, maybe in her twenties. She might have had a lighter hair colour, maybe? She looked around her granddaughter’s age, but she wasn’t very tall either. It was hard to tell. She might be older than she looked just from looking at her height, but Ryner wasn't close enough to be sure.

She’d heard the two men, one with a mohawk-ponytail and another he referred to as Lahn, call her name but it hadn't been too clear—Claire? Karen? No, Kate, or Katie sounded closer. _Katie_. She was sure that was what she had heard.

Ryner committed all of it to her memory as the lights on the hover car lit up, rising out of the parking bay, and focused on the number plate.

“C, Z, seventy-one, M, C, H...” she mumbled to herself, repeating it over and over, ducking back into the damp ground and pine needles and branches of the trees as the land rover rounded the corner of the car park, passing her hiding place. “...C, Z, seventy-one, M, C, H.” 

Waiting, watching the turn of the car onto another off-grid track that led to the east, Ryner finally felt like she could breathe again, and did her best to process what she had just witnessed. She thanked the fate of her stars that she’d gone unnoticed (and that she hadn’t just let Rover out to do his business in the garden) before slowly getting to her feet and hurrying down to the car park.

Rover whined and sniffed at the ground as she looked around, her eyes on the microvan that had been abandoned, rush parked across two hoverbays. It hadn’t been there during her earlier walk, and all the others were gone. As she looked around, wondering if they had left anything besides the microvan, wrinkled hands shaking around in her pocket, she fished out her phone, and quickly sped into the dialling pad, tapping in the trio of numbers she had so far, never had much reason to use.

‘ _5-5-5,_ ’ the operator said. ‘ _Which service do you require?_ ’

“Police!” she blurted, putting a hand out onto the fence; her pulse was racing and heartbeat pounding. Nothing bad, but the departure of adrenaline made her a little breathless. “The Police, please.”

‘ _Please hold a moment._ ’

The sky was just starting to bleed a little brighter across the fields, behind the house, but Ryner didn’t find her eyes were drawn to it as they might otherwise have been. Her head was still ringing with the sound of that poor woman’s pleas for help.

‘ _This is the Police; what is the nature of your emergency?_ ’

“I-I’m calling to report a kidnapping…” she said. “…in County Olkaria, outside my house… It’s about seventeen miles from Griezian City… Can I air-drop my location? I’m standing right… Thank you! Thank you, hold on a moment while I...”

At her feet, as she pressed her thumb into the location provided that had been dropped by the operator to her her phone via a message, sending it over the trees, along the connection with a light ping, Rover barked, his approval echoing through the new, unnerving silence of the morning.

* * *

Four more days had passed since Sendak had stubbed his cigarette out on the back of her neck, on top of the four he’d claimed since Katie had been yanked from her life into her current, unpleasant situation before that.

If that was a reliable count—which it might not be, because Sendak was a psychopathic arson terrorist (who she really needed to be more careful around) that couldn’t be trusted, and her own perception of time was even less reliable. 

For now, Katie had to assume it was a total of eight days since she had seen her family, walked across the floor without permission or being watched, since she’d fed herself with her own hands, or had something resembling a pleasant conversation.

Upon waking up that morning—or what was her new equivalent of it anyway—the door scraped with Bogh’s usual morning routine, and she heard the door opening, but didn’t bother turning over. She really didn't feel like eating, or Bogh’s irritating ‘ _I still know what’s best_ ’ attitude. 

“Rise and shine, Princess,” he said, footsteps creaking on the floor behind her as he approached her mattress.

It had taken practice to learn how to make her voice get around the unwelcome gobstopper of fabric routinely shoved between her teeth after eating, but she’d had nothing but time to learn the past few days, and while she couldn’t make any words form, her tone was easy to control.

‘ _Fuck off._ ’ 

“Hey now, quit that, today’s a big day,” Bogh said, pulling her shoulder and forcing her onto her back, his phone poised above her, a recording light glowing red beside the camera lens.

As much as she hated being photographed again—they had to be sending them to her parents as twisted little check ins or something—the last time Bogh had dropped a statement like that had been the day she was forced to talk to Matt.

The words ‘ _today’s a big day_ ’ were not at all reassuring, or anything other than suspicious to her, and she glared up at the camera. She wouldn’t get much of a choice in whatever plans had been made—that luxury was almost a distant memory at this point—but she could at least express her disbelief and disregard for them. 

Sendak could burn her as much as he liked, and she’d probably still cry and scream and do what he wanted because that was probably a normal reaction to torture, and ultimately, a survival instinct. He couldn't stop her having an opinion though, or from doing her best to make it known.

“Sendak’s letting you talk to your parents and brother later. Don’t you want to see them?” Bogh asked, phone still poised over her face.

It leaned in closer and her stomach churned with something besides cramps.

No. No, that was the last thing she wanted. Not like this. She didn’t want to see her family until it was of her own free will. Not being paraded in front of a camera to twist her dad’s arm. She wanted to see them, but she wanted to go home.

She forced herself to turn over, tuning over onto her face, letting it squash into the pillow. “Hey, quit that, you’ll suffocate yourself like that you idiot,” Bogh said, his voice exasperated as his hands gripped her shoulders and sitting her up to cut away all the microfoam again.

‘ _And whose fault is that?_ ’ she almost spat at him, but anything more than two or three syllables didn’t translate well, so she just glared at him as he cut it all away (seriously, how many rolls of it were they planning to go through?)

Despite her earlier plans to shun her food, she ate the porridge that was offered, and they progressed through the rest of the morning with the routine that had slowly started forming, much to her concern. Routine meant normalcy, and she didn’t want this to become normal.

She ate, had sips of water, and as long as she didn’t scream out, she got to breathe like a normal human being and let her jaw muscles rest while Bogh checked her two war wounds (from travel and misjudging how much she could test Sendak).

She never tried to make conversation—she didn’t know where she’d start or what she’d say to Bogh if she tried to. The familiarity in his tone, his mannerisms were what made his presence worse than Sendak’s.

He acted like nothing had changed, talking about his old emails from his wife, or which eBook he’d started reading, like it had been the morning drive to work, and the only trial of the journey had been getting through the grid congestion at nine am.

Sometimes he chatted about the news, telling her about the updates since that awful press conference Sendak had forced her to watch.

He’d sat behind her, flicking that torch on and off, wondering aloud how long he ought to wait, and if she thought they’d done as he’d asked—‘ _Don’t lie now Katie,_ ’ he’d said, flicking the torch when she refused to so much as a nod. ‘ _I promised your father I’d burn your eyes out for lies, and haven’t I been a man of my word so far?_ ’—until that police officer who’d been in the room with Matt (she recognised the hair) quickly took her parents away from all the cameras after Sendak finally called her mother.

She knew this was all at Sendak’s whim. She knew he was in charge, that Bogh was only following his orders. And yet, that very fact made him the more painful presence and one she found herself fearing more.

He’d been there, right beside her, for two years, and none of this seemed to bother him. He’d been let into some intimate parts of her life, and regardless of his assurances that ‘ _no-one has a bondage kink_ ’, the manner in which that trust had been ripped from her understanding was violating.

She didn’t know where to begin with a conversation, and was worried exactly what the answer to all those questions would be, so she never asked the ones of her own, and only grudgingly responded to his.

He changed the dressings and applied antiseptic to both the cut on her forehead, and the burns on the back of her neck. The one on her head had healed up fairly well now, but burns were still fierce and stung each time he cleaned them. 

Brushing her ponytail out of the way, he was a bit more particular of the placement of the gauze and micropore tape on her neck this time, rather than using the broadest stripes he could as he usually did. 

Until he pulled her hair out of the ponytail she wasn’t sure why he’d bother, but she quickly worked out it was to hide the injury from her father; Sendak had given them to her for not listening, but he obviously didn’t want her dad knowing he’d take shots at her for her own actions without remorse.

Bogh turned her face towards him, examining the sore patches on her face where she’d tried catching the top of the microfoam, and the patches that were a little raw from having the mildly sticky backing pulled on and off repeatedly, before dabbing some of the creams on them.

“More water? Toilet?” he asked. 

“No,” she said. “Just get on with it,” she muttered. 

And with the denial, he stuffed the rag between her teeth, and started wrapping the tape around her head. Then he left her to the accompaniment of infuriating boredom again, locking the door behind him.

After about an hour of her own company yet again, Katie knew that if she was stuck in this boring, locked room with nothing to do but try to pull the gag off her face by scraping it fruitlessly against cracks of paint and the edges of the MDF boards covering the windows, or shuffle and drag herself across the room trying to find somewhere to eavesdrop from any longer, she was going to go crazy.

She needed to escape, and while she was more than aware of how unfair her odds were currently stacked, Katie rapidly came to the conclusion that if she was going to manage that, her only place to find any sort of resource or chance would have to involve her semi-regular trips to the bathroom.

It would have to involve one of those trips, because the bathroom was the only place that she had full use of her own body. For everything else, eating, sleeping, and recently the extortive photoshoots Sendak had been subjecting her to the past few days, she was left trussed up in the locked room.

Bogh came in to check if she needed to use the toilet every few hours throughout the day, and she assumed she’d be given the luxury of another shower soon. 

Next time she was allowed to wash up, she needed to comb the room from top to bottom, and see if there was anything she make use of. She had a feeling that it would have been robbed of anything useful already, but she had to try. 

The only saving grace was that, if she for once in her life chose to believe in fate’s designs for the universe as more than simple happenstance and luck, and cast aside her previous disparaging indifference to her future, she might actually have a chance of making out of this hell hole alive.

For a moment, she’d been resigned to the doom her parents had feared in her words, and she felt that initial fear was well justified. She really was having a fucking shitty week, with everything she’d been warned about and protected from tipped on its end and becoming her new reality.

She’d been terrified, because her parents had been right; a nightmare scenario had happened, predicted by the words printed on her wrist by lieu of what they ought to follow, and she’d despaired for a moment, because how on earth was she supposed to escape this?

But her answer lay in the very words themselves.

 **‘ _You’re safe now._ ’**

Of all the things that could happen, surely this, being kidnapped, and held against her will in a completely unknown location by people who clearly had no qualms with treating her like an object, or something disposable as long as she got them the shiny trading card they wanted, was a situation where she ought to hear those words come true?

Her parents had feared what they would bring before them, and Katie had snorted at them, assuming it was just going to be a joke, or some strange situation like reading a line in an eBook aloud, or something she heard from someone when she was out with Vrek, Romelle and Allura and had finished off one too many mint and juniberry mojitos.

Now, her words sounded less and less like what she had hoped, more like what her parents had been so fearful of, but that also offered her a tiny ray of hope. They implied that whatever horrible prerequisite they held, she’d survive. That she’d be safe.

Katie didn’t want to cling onto that thought too much—her own disbelief nagged at her that that the universe was never so easy to bargain with—but she couldn’t help it. 

As long as she was under the control of a crazed terrorist group who despised and disavowed every cultural tic and social behaviour that soulmarks had curated over centuries, who had sworn after their last attack to burn their influence from the world, believing in her own might just be her only chance.

It was a remote hope, one which had probably led her to this situation in the first place, but she couldn’t help but ponder its merit as she was forced to wait for the plans Sendak brewed beyond the door.

* * *

Please welcome Ryner and Rover to the Plot. They’ve been here a while but their scene finally came up. * _Cackles_ *

You should all know that I'm a big fan of Chekov's guns. Great trope. Well done, that man. Keep a look out for them further on and between Keith and Pidge's POVs :)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	6. Intentional

As predicted Bogh came back a couple of times, and the first two were again, the familiar routine that had started; he asked her if she needed more water, let her use the toilet, then tied her back up again once she had finished whatever jobs she needed to do.

The second time, he came back with a chicken-mayo sandwich and a packet of ready-salted crisps. It was longer before he returned after that; the light from behind the boards getting dimmer and dimmer before the darkness in the room had her wishing someone would turn on the strip light before she fell asleep.

She wondered if Bogh had been lying about her parents being called today, or if they'd decided not to drag her out for it after all. 

It was probably better that way, but it was strange, feeling like she was waiting for something and not knowing when it might or might not happen. They’d gone to the trouble of taking all those photos and videos the past few days. Surely that meant they were building up to _something?_

As much as she told herself she didn’t want to help Sendak manipulate her father, and didn't want her family to see her like this… She missed them. Badly, and even if it was cold and manipulative and cruel, a video call was better than nothing.

She missed her mum’s afternoon calls during her lunch break to tell her about whatever gossip she’d heard about the frankly insane microbiology lab next door to her own in the university where she worked; so far it had gone through seven break-ups, one wedding, a three-way, two affairs, and there was now a baby involved that her mum still know whom it claimed in parentage. It was like watching a soap without having to pay the TV licence fees

Katie missed the smell of her perfume, and her dad’s aftershave. She missed the ongoing argument with him about going on holiday to Altea with her friends, once she and Vrek had finished their last exams, to celebrate graduating university together.

She missed her brother’s dumb pranks and the passwords changing wars on her computer; she missed hanging around with Romelle at weekends, and the thrice-weekly yoga class she went to with her and Allura.

Finally, when the room was pitch black, and she’d already dozed off more than once, the door into the hallway opened. Sitting up, a bit startled because she hadn’t heard the key scrape like normal, and the brighter light in the hallway made her eyes sting, she watched as Bogh walked into the room, the blindfold in his hand.

“Show time,” he said cheerfully.

Bogh pulled the blindfold around her eyes as securely as he had on the trip to her prison from the car, throwing her over his shoulder for the trip down the stairs—she was sure it was down this time—until she was dumped into a chair again, like she had been the last couple of times.

“No problems today?” Sendak asked quietly, and not to her. She could hear someone tapping on a keyboard as the rope to keep her upright was pulled across her.

“Just a bit grumpy,” Bogh said. “Bit sore, groggy. I’ll check her over properly later,” he said, something taught pulling her back straight against the chair—more ropes?

She put it out of her mind, straining her ears in search of some sort of noise. She usually couldn't hear much from her room thanks to the soundproofing on the walls; Katie thought she might have heard a car horn, but aside from the tapping and clicking of a computer, there wasn’t much else besides Sendak’s hum of agreement.

As she was listening to the tapping, someone grabbed the back of the chair, dragging it across the floor, closer to the hum of the computer. Then there was a beeping sound, the ring of a phone call, and she felt herself tense up, anticipation and dread running through her as it continued to dial and dial and dial-

“Mr Holt,” Sendak said, his voice bright and uncomfortably close, after the chair had been dropped back onto its legs. “I’m glad to see you again. I trust you had no problems making time for this call? You must be busy right now.”

‘ _I suppose you could say that,_ ’ her father’s shaky voice replied, his voice terse as it came through a speaker, presumably on the computer screen. Could her parents see her? She couldn’t tell. ‘ _I’ve finished my preliminary plans; there’s a lot to still work on, but the basic bones of the designs are there. I don’t know how to send them._ ’

What? The choked feeling in her throat and chest that had grown at the sound of her father’s voice felt thicker, and not because of the gag, though it gave Katie little choice but to stifle back her anger and dismay at the words.

He’d finished the basic plans already? _No!_ No, he couldn’t seriously be cooperating with this psychopath! Those people from the police had been at the broadcast! Shaggy-hair guy and the head of Marchanda’s police force—how could they be _agreeing_ to this? They had to be following the call somehow, right?

“That’s good to hear,” Sendak said, the pleasure in his voice like a dripping poison in her ears from the way she could hear him gloating around the words. There was some more tapping. “A link is going to appear on the screen. Drop the file into the box.”

‘ _It’s sent,_ ’ her father said. ‘ _You told my wife that we could speak with Katie today,_ ’ he said pointedly.

“Indeed, thank you for the quick work Mr Holt,” Sendak, his arm hanging around her shoulders, and a tiny flare of heat and smoke crossed close to her cheek. “But before that, I need to inspect it, do I not?”

There was a tense silence as he presumably examined whatever file has been sent, checking it over, and the sound of a lighter’s flicker and spark send shivers down her neck. 

Sendak had said before her call with Matt that he’d brand her for every day he didn't hear from her father.

The knowledge that it had been four days since the last time they’d last contacted her family was stark in her mind, and she actually backed towards the man leaning against the chair as she shied away from the end of the cigarette.

Sendak grabbed her chin, his thumb brushing over her cheek, her lips as he inspected the file, bringing the dot of heat closer, its smoke filling her nose; the warning in it was hard to miss, and she froze with the unnerving attention as he mused.

‘ _Well?_ ’ Her father asked, his voice anxious, impatient and desperate.

“It seems satisfactory,” Sendak said finally, and if she hadn't been tied into it, she’d probably have slipped out of the chair for the amount of tension that disintegrated from her shoulders, shaking through her spine. “I don’t think I need to inspire your progress with any needless suffering on Katie’s part.” 

His fingers ran over her cheek almost fondly, and she fought back the urge to be sick. The last thing she needed was to end up choking again. She just wished he’d let go of her face; the feel of his hands on her skin made it crawl, and she felt blind panic every time his fingers brushed the healing bruises around her neck

“You and I can discuss the next stage right now to save time. Your wife may talk to Katie for twenty minutes,” he said. “If our conversation goes well, and we’re both satisfied, I’ll extend some time to yo–”

‘ _Sorry to cut in,_ ’—a new voice cut in. It was deep, a male voice, but not harsh, despite the cutting tone and challenge in the words—‘ _but I’m afraid that’s not what you promised Mrs Holt during the conference; should the Holts be worried you’re not living up to your end of your own demands?_ ’

Sendak started; Katie felt the brief change in his grip as he reacted in surprise to the interruption. It jumped in the fingers holding her neck and chin in place, staggering and irate, grip tightening a little under her chin until he regained composure.

“I think it’s a fair bargain,” he said carefully. “I made no such assurance to Mr Holt. I told his wife that she would speak with her daughter. My willingness to include her father in the proceedings is already from generosity,” Sendak continued, hand gripping her neck, like some kind of stress ball. “I’m impressed you even have the gall to suggest I’d back out on my promises. I’ve honoured them so far. That’s just good business.”

Not really. He’d just told her father that she’d be spared any ‘ _needless suffering_ ’ due to his satisfaction with her father’s plans, but he already seared four circular little marks into the back of her neck. That had been from her own stubbornness, but it was still a lie. 

Katie had a feeling she’d be risking more if she got the opportunity to share that though, and until this crazy detective—officer? Investigator? She couldn’t remember what the right term was—stopped interfering, she wouldn’t even get that.

‘ _Perhaps, but that assurance was vague and regardless of who answered the call, you made none of the specifications you claim._ ’ the man said. ‘ _I_ _can play you your own recording if you like._ ’ 

‘ _What are you doing?!_ ’ Her brother’s voice, abhorrent and dismayed.

Sendak’s grip on her face tightened, and she winced, crying out at the sudden pain as he gripped her jaw. “I’m sorry, I forgot your name?”

‘ _Keith Hawkins,_ ’ the man provided blandly. ‘ _You’re going to let Miss Holt talk to her parents and brother, for an hour, not just now but in all your future communications too, if you want me to leave this communications channel open._ ’

‘ _What?!_ ’ her father’s voice, panicked. ‘ _No! No! No! What are you talking about? He’ll kill her!_ ’

“Keith,” Sendak sounded the word on his tongue like some distasteful new foreign dish. “I don't advise you test me, _Keith_ ,” he spat. “Cut off this call, and I’ll burn out her eyes for my next one,” he said, voice as hard as his grip. “Leave the negotiations to your superiors, before I decide to do more than just leave her blind.”

Katie couldn’t see the glowing end of the cigarette, but she could feel Sendak changing his grip on her face, felt the heat move across her nose as he held her face steady, her struggles and shrieks of protest nothing to him, and held it in front of her left eye.

‘ _Take them out of here,_ ’ the man—who was now known as Keith—grumbled as her family’s protests began to disappear in the background of the call. _‘And I suggest that you don't test me,_ ’ he snapped back without any hint of concern. _‘Mr Holt has listened to your demands. You’ll give the Holts the time with their daughter that you promised them,_ ’ he continued. ‘ _Or I will cut off all your communications with them; you will not be able to re-contact them, because they will be under house arrest until I charge Mr Holt for aiding and abetting a known terrorist._ ’

“I don’t think you have the stomach to follow through with that threat, Mr Hawkins,” Sendak said, his voice starting to rattle and growl with irritation. “Are you really willing to risk this woman’s life? Bring Mr Holt back into the room. _Now_.”

‘ _Miss Holt’s death would be regrettable,_ ’ the man said, and there was a pause in his tone that Katie hoped for her own sake meant he was just bluffing, that he was just making it up. ‘ _But frankly, for the number of people whose lives would be spared from the designs you are demanding, Katie Holt, to me, isn't worth the trade off._ ’

Sendak’s hands were trembling around her neck, squeezing, not enough to choke her again but enough to put the fear of it in her. “Then prove it, Mr Hawkins,” he snarled.

Katie could hardly believe what she was hearing, and screamed in protest through the gag. The man was insane. Was he being serious? For all her own revulsion at her father’s willingness to work with terrorists, she didn’t want to be tortured, or end up dead! This man was going to kill her if he kept talking!

The man on the call said nothing, and for a moment, her building fear for her own life that had crept up without warning began to fade. Then, to her dismay, he let out a confident snort of laughter.

Then, there was a click, and the beep of a call ending, and the fear that had been simmering boiled in dismay. 

He’d hung up. He’d really hung up. No. no. no. no. no. He couldn’t have hung up! What the fuck was going on? This wasn’t happening. It was a scare tactic. It had to be.

Sendak, for his part, found the whole part entirely amusing, letting out a bark of laughter, dropping his grip on her neck; “Well, I’ll be damned,” he growled, angry, but something almost pleased in his voice. “Kolivan finally found a dog with teeth.”

The release had her slumping forward against the rope keeping her in the chair, the exhaustion and fear soaking into the blindfold as relief took its place. Sendak moved away, furthering the reprieve as tapping returned to her ears.

The call noise rang again. Then the line cut off.

“What?” Sendak snarled.

There was more tapping. More ringing. Then the dull monotone of a rejected call filling the room a second time. She heard something clatter, faster typing, and the ringing of a call again. Then the hang-up. It repeated, and each time, she could feel the tension around her rise with then denial in the drone that echoed at the end of each attempt.

The tears that had been seeping into the blindfold had paused, mainly because she had no idea what was going on, or even how to react anymore. 

“Give me that phone!” Sendak snarled; there was a shift in the air as he marched past her, and the tempered fury in his voice made her shrink back, pulling her legs up on herself. 

It wasn’t much of a defence, but it felt like she’d done something to shield herself from his ire as she heard the man pacing back and forth behind her.

“Matthew—” he started. “—tell that incompetent–”

He broke off, and the shift in what was happening made her want to get the blindfold off even more than usual; not seeing what was going on was utterly infuriating, especially when people had been talking about burning out her eyes or straight up killing her. She needed to know what was happening!

Trying to pull it against her shoulder was no good. Bogh had wrapped it twice and tight around her eyes. No matter how much she tried to push it away, it wasn’t budging.

There was silence behind her, and then a clatter. The sound of metal crunching under the stomp of heavy boots followed, and the same boots stomped across the floor back towards her. She felt the rush of air coming behind her and hid her face in her knees, expecting pain, a blow, the end of the cigarette, something besides the man heading past her.

There was more silence, a snarl of rage and the slam of fists on a table that was close and loud enough to make her shriek in fright as it echoed throughout the room. Then an exhalation of breath, measured, deep, calm, before Sendak once again tapped into the keyboard.

The ring of a phone call echoed through the room again, eerily louder that it had before. The click of the line connecting sounded as loud as the angry footsteps, but the lack of a failed tone made her head lift out of her knees, her shoulders unhunching as she strained to listen.

‘ _Well?_ ’ Keith’s voice demanded. ‘ _I’m going to assume you’ve reconsidered. You have ten seconds before I end this call for the last time. nine… eight… seven… six… five… fo—_ ’

“You’ve made yourself perfectly clear, Mr Hawkins,” Sendak spat. “And I’m willing to agree to those demands, with a few stipulations.”

There was a pause, and while Sendak’s reluctant, and enraged admission had knocked the air from her lungs with the surprise, she was alert, unsure if she was hallucinating again or not. Maybe they’d started putting something in her food now? 

“I refuse to give her total privacy,” he snapped. “Bogh stays in the room for the duration. He can stand back but I’m not stupid enough to give you the chance to tell her how to escape.”

‘ _I suppose that’s acceptable. Your other proposals?_ ’

“I’ll maintain updates as I have been, but I will not agree to set contact days. Those will be as and when I see fit,” Sendak continued. “I don't particularly care if you think you can find me, Keith, but I will not conduct negotiations at your demand.”

There was a silence for a moment.

‘ _I could agree to that,_ ’ the man ventured. ‘ _On the condition that you keep your hands to yourself without due reason in the future._ ’ Katie must not have been the only one who wondered what that meant by the silence in the room. ‘ _Miss Holt didn’t have that bandage eight days ago, and if I’m correct in assuming she’s been restrained for most of that time, the only way she could have sustained an injury like that is at your call. Didn't you tell Mr Holt that she wouldn't be subjected to any needless suffering?_ ’

What? _What?_ He’d seen the bandage on her neck? How? Had her hair moved? How did he…?

‘ _Well? Am I Wrong?_ ’ he asked. ‘ _Are you going to start keeping your own promises or not, Jake?_ ’

Katie could almost hear Sendak’s temper seething again. “I made no such promises for her own behaviour!” he all but roared. “And refuse to do so in the future. I will accept the terms I’ve suggested against yours, and no more!”

Katie ducked her head back into her knees from the volume and utter fury carrying it. She had no idea what was going on. What were they talking about? Had that been this Keith guy on the phone when Sendak tried to call her brother?

‘ _Alright,_ ’ the man said, after a reluctant pause. ‘ _Bogh stays, Katie gets an hour to talk to her family, and following that, Mr Holt will talk to you about the rest of your demands_ ,’ he stated. 

“Fine!” Sendak spat. “Bogh!”

“I’ll get things organised,” her handler said somewhere behind her.

What followed was surreal. Sendak’s feet stomped past her, slamming a door open somewhere, and perhaps another two sets of footsteps followed. When they were all gone, the change in the air was palpable. Until Bogh let a low whistle.

“Fucking hell,” he muttered. “You don’t hold your punches do you, kid? Alright, what now?”

‘ _Take that blindfold off her, and the gag,_ ’ he instructed. ‘ _I’m not bringing Mr and Mrs Holt, or her brother, back into the room and making them see her like that. The timer for the hour will start when they’re before the screen. Feel free to start it on your end Torseth._ ’

The knot behind her head for the blindfold immediately loosened, coming away like a scarf falling around her neck. After a few blinks, Katie found herself blinking at the brightness of the computer screen, a small video camera perched atop the screen.

On the screen was a small window, sitting on top of a window that she could see was the same 3D vis tech that the computers at Voltedge used. She could see a little of the neutraliser designs peeking out from between a call screen.

On the video window was the man who had been in Matt’s office, and at the press conference. His hair was even shaggier than it had looked then, and he was sitting on a table, arms crossed, earpiece blinking in his ear. There was a badge pinned to his belt loops of his black jeans, poking out from beneath the form fitting purple t-shirt emblazoned with the coat of arms for Marchanda’s police department on the left breast.

His face was pointed, pale-skinned, and expression firm, until Bogh started cutting through the microfoam at the back of her head. Then it softened a little, his eyebrows furrowed in concern; as Bogh’s attention was diverted, his mouth formed two, soundless words: ‘ _Okay?_ ’ and ‘ _Sorry._ ’ 

He really had been bluffing. He’d argued down the man threatening to burn her eyes out, telling him he’d leave her high and dry until Sendak caved to his demands, and it had been a poker face the whole time. She didn’t know if it was crazy or kind of amazing to watch Sendak be manipulated for a change.

As Bogh carefully cut through and pulled away the strips at the back of her head, she nodded, quickly, doing her best to keep the silent response secret—‘ _I’m okay_ ’—while her head was being jostled, but deliberately enough for the man to see, before Bogh started pulling at the tape around the side of her head and cheeks.

The police officer (she couldn’t see his badge close enough to tell his rank) didn’t change his face much, but his shoulders shifted, dropping their tension, and gave her a small smile before it returned to the firmer face as Bogh pulled the last of the microfoam away, as well as the rag.

The man—Keith, told Sendak his name was Keith, and she felt like she ought to remember the name of someone who’d bullied back the bigger bully—got to his feet, disappearing from the screen, and there was the sound of a door opening, a short-mumbled conversation.

Then her brother’s face appeared on the screen, and all the tension lifting from her let out every single emotion that had been churning through her for the week it had been since she had seen it from her eyes again.

‘ _You all have an hour,_ ’ Keith told him as her mum and dad appeared. ‘ _After that Sendak is going to talk to you again Mr Holt. We’ll be around, but you have a bit of privacy for a while._ ’

“I’m starting the timer,” Bogh said, setting something up on the screen. A timer clock. “I’m going to get you some water then hang around at the back,” he added, clicking the start and walking off.

Katie stared at the time, then at the screen, the faces of her parents, her brother. She really had an hour?

She watched the police officers floating around in the background with a few others, behind her parents, and listened to the sound of Bogh clattering around somewhere behind her, still trying to work out if she was hallucinating, or dreaming.

‘ _Katie? Sweetheart? Can you hear me okay?_ ’ 

Her mum. Someone gave her a chair and she settled close in front of the screen, her dad leaning an arm on the back, Matt kneeling on the floor and crossing his arms on the desk.

‘ _Pidge? You there little sis?_ ’ Matt teased, his jovial tone only slightly forced with the old teasing childhood nickname for her ‘ _bird-butt-hair_ ’ a firm reminder that she wasn’t hallucinating, or drugged, or worse, dreaming.

This really was happening. She was _taking_ to them.

‘ _Hey honey,_ ’ her dad’s voice said, warm and soft, and as much as balsam as any mere words could be just from the familiar sound.

“H-Hi…” she croaked out, the relief and surge of momentary happiness spilling over her cheeks. “...Hi.”

* * *

Yay! Improvement! Sort of? 

Thank god someone whelped Sendak, he deserved it  ~~ we can worry about the consequences later together, okay?  ~~


	7. Step Out

Since the phone call with her parents, the mishmash of dates that had been observed, and uncertain passage of days and nights, Katie’s best estimate on the number of days she had been enduring Sendak’s company based on her limited calculations and unclear perception on her captivity, was currently somewhere between fifteen and nineteen days.

She’d had a significant amount of time to try and calculate it, but still didn't think she could manage more than a best guess. It was impossible to work out how long she had been out after the uncomfortable journey, and there was no way she could trust anything Sendak had said.

She’d also asked Bogh how long she’d been sick for, and he’d just given her a flat look, and told her to ‘ _ Pick a better topic if you want to chit-chat, or eat the macaroni Princess _ ’. 

Arsehole. Still, while Bogh was clearly unwilling to help her augment herself and judge her surroundings better, he was still better than Sendak. He had become  _ infinitely _ less pleasant since the phone call with her parents for a few days, clearly not happy with the way that police guy, Keith, had forced him to agree to future calls.

He calmed down, eventually, but only after the guy back-handed her for a comment during the daily photoshoot in the middle of her ‘ _ afternoon _ ’ meal one day.

He’d wanted her to do another call, this time to her mother, but she’d refused, and he’d told Bogh not to give her any food or water her for the rest of the day, until she learned that her ‘ _ comforts _ ’ were earned.

Katie regretted the snort she’d let out in response before Bogh had gagged her again—‘ _ Sure, because the excuse to miss my brother’s soulmeet anniversary is just what I was hoping for, thank you so much for that! _ ’—because ‘ _ backhand _ ’ was probably an understatement when he’d made Bogh hold her up for better aim.

His fist had been given with enough force that she was pretty sure she had an awful black eye, because the other guy who looked after her sometimes was still checking it over, but she was trying not to think about that. 

Instead, Katie decided not to push his buttons too much till he chilled out, as her family had pleaded with her to do. Or until he chilled out as much as a crazy terrorist could at any rate. Pulling back her sass a little bit worked out anyway. 

It would make her look a bit more complacent with her situation, resigned, and it wasn't even hard to pretend that she was starting to find her circumstances overbearing; she didn't need to pretend at all.

There had been more than a couple of days when her drive to find something—to cut the ropes, pull off the gag or get some more information on her surroundings, something to tell her the whereabouts of where she’d been taken—was impossible to find. The stark silence of her isolation and imprisonment has snuck up on her and it crept into every single day. 

Katie found herself starting to look forward to Bogh’s visits with food, or to take photos for the daily update for her parents; it was the only time of the day she found herself with any social interaction, and it was hard not to look forward to it when she didn't have any other options.

Bogh had mentioned that she’d get to talk to her dad again in a few days, and it couldn't come soon enough. What scared her nearly as much as Sendak was the fact that she was starting to look forward to seeing her kidnappers, just so that she could hear somebody’s voice. 

She could almost feel herself being conditioned into docility already, and it was terrifying.

That afternoon he came in with the afternoon snack—it smelled like something with cheese in it—and set into the now familiar routine of removing the gag, helping her sit up and make her way through whatever food he’d brought her.

Today it was a cheese toastie, a couple of chocolate digestives and the water bottle, which turned out to be fresh orange juice. The bitter kind made from concentrate, not the good fresh stuff, but it was still an unusually pleasant change.

While at first, she had been able to hear things beyond the door, smell the must of the room when they had first brought her inside and had her blindfolded, now that additional level of perception had faded.

She had got used to her environment, which made it all the harder to try and keep what little she did know about it in mind, and made it imperative she didn't stop trying to analyse her surroundings when she got the chance.

It brought her back to the bathroom, and as the door closed behind her, the lock clicking as Bogh closed her into the only place of relative privacy after she had eaten that morning, Katie tried to do exactly that.

Waiting for the feeling to come back in her legs once she pulled the rest of the rope off her wrists, trying not to winces as they scraped away from the sore, dry patches of skin that had appeared, she looked around in the holdall.

She’d looked several times, but hadn’t found shoes, and while some things (a couple of bags of the skin creams she’d seen bogh using, which she used on her wrists, knees and the sore patches on her face from the tape) had been added remained from when the bag had been in previous use (like her travel toothbrush and toothpaste), others had been removed.

Tweezers and a metal nail file she knew had been in the toiletries bag she’d kept full for weekend trips or work trips before Bogh commandeered it were both gone. She had hoped that he might have missed them; tweezers and a metal nail file didn’t sound like much, but she could have made use of them. Especially the nail file.

She could potentially have hidden that and used it to cut herself free, or even as a weapon. It would have been sharp enough. Unfortunately, there was nothing in the bag that could have been of use. She made a habit of checking though, just in case she could find a use for something that she hadn't seen previously, or got an idea..

Leaning back against the door, she sighed, and slowly pulled herself to her feet. She needed to find a way to keep a bit more physical strength. If she was going to try and get out of here, she’d couldn’t be as shaky as she was now. 

Aside from doing sit ups in the bathroom, or stretching her legs in the shower to try and keep her muscles working properly, she didn't know what else to do once she was outside the relative safety of the room.

She did it all the same. She didn’t want to lose any muscular strength if she could avoid it. She’d need her legs to run when she found an opportunity to do so. After another search of the bathroom cabinets (which proved as fruitless as before—they were bare of anything but dust), she turned on the shower and took the shampoo, conditioner and shower gel from the holdall.

If she was going to get the chance to talk to her parents again she didn’t want to look as strung out as she was starting to feel; keeping an eye on the door, she piled the fresh clothes she’d picked atop the towel on top of the toilet seat before jumping in behind the shower curtain and getting undressed; she still wasn’t sure about there being cameras or not, and wasn't going to give anyone an eyeful if she could help it.

Turning on the water, she winced at the sting of it on the back of her neck—the burns were healing but savage and sensitive still, and she had to bite her lip when the soap suds in her hair soaked the injuries. 

Quickly turning and rinsing the suds away, she stared up at the vent; if it had been wider she could have got a better idea of her surroundings at least. As she stared at it, moderately disheartened by her own frustration, she frowned.

There was something off about the metal frame surrounding the opening; it was loose at one corner. There was enough of a lift to cause a shadow against the tile that she hadn’t noticed the first couple of times she had been in the room.

Frowning, and making sure to turn the shower pressure up to cover any noise she might make by accident, she checked the curtain was drawn, and climbed up using the rail, standing at the end of the bath to inspect it.

One of the screws was sticking out, and the frame had popped up in that corner from the release in tension. It hadn’t been screwed down properly. Poking her head around the curtain, checking the metal vent on the door was still closed, she looked back at the vent in the wall, and with one hand, poked at the screw.

It wasn’t so loose it came out, but it was enough that she might be able to unscrew it. Gripping the rail with her other hand, she twisted her fingers around it, turning it by the millimetre. It was painfully frustrating, how much effort it was taking just to get the strength in her fingers to work on the screw, but she persisted.

Eventually the long-rusted screw came free. Shaking from the effort, she sunk back under the water of the shower, resting off the sting of exertion in her thighs and calves to examine the screw, rinsing it off under the water.

It had a wide ridge swirling from the head to the tip, and was sharp at its point. Maybe the length of her middle finger? About seven centimetres in length. If she could smuggle it out, she might be able to use it.

She didn’t know  _ how _ , but if she could keep a hold of it, she might be able to use it to cut the ropes. After that she’d need to find a way through the door, but if she could just get the ropes off, she’d have somewhere to start.

A bang on the door jerked out of her musings. She pulled her legs up, hiding the screw under the shower scrunchie behind her, expecting Bogh to barge in and drag her out.

“ _ How long are you planning to take in there? _ ” he demanded through the door. 

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as she curled in on herself; when Katie realised he hadn’t come inside, had just banged on the dood, she let out a breath. 

“S-Sorry,” she called back quickly. “It’s hard to stand up for so long okay? My legs and arms are killing me! I have to sit in the tub, and it takes longer!” It wasn’t a lie. Her legs and arms were unsettlingly shaky from lack of use. “I’m nearly done.”

She waited for a response, but didn’t get one, and sat, uncertain, wondering if this was when her last shred of privacy and dignity would finally be taken away. But nothing happened. Exhaling again, she finished scrubbing herself off in the bottom of the tub, before turning off the water and drying down behind the curtain as quickly as she could.

Then she dried down the bath so she could change behind the shower curtain without her clothes getting too damp; reaching a hand out from behind the curtain to grab them from the toilet seat, Katie pulled on her pants and another sports bra, and a light, thin pinky-purple long-sleeved turtleneck top, then a tie-dye hoodie (with bright patches of colour that didn't at all match her mood) and a pair of leggings. 

She completely avoided the jeans. Those had been a bad idea last time; the fabric had probably made the sores around her knees worse. 

The hoodie had a kangaroo-pouch style pocket at the front, but it was too baggy. She could probably smuggle the screw out in her bra, but then she’d have to find a way to get to it.

No. One step at a time. She just needed to keep a hold of it for now. Until she knew how she could get out of the room, or even if it could even cut the ropes, it was useless anyway. 

Wrapping it up in some toilet paper she also grabbed one-handedly from behind the curtain (so that she didn’t get scratched by the edges all over her boobs once Bogh had inevitably trussed her up again), she stuffed it down under her clothes. The jumper hid anything that looked weird against her chest, so she didn’t think anyone would notice it.

Taking a few more precious moments of freedom—as close as she could get right now—she took a breath and knocked on the door.

She sat down as the latch opened, then closed, and she heard her ex-bodyguard turning the key in the lock. Then the sound of the door opening again.

“You didn’t wring your hair out,” Bogh stated, puzzlement in his voice as he took hold of her arms, pulling them behind her; she could feel his eyes on her back, looking at the still wet, messy, unbrushed strands. 

Katie couldn’t help tensing. She’d completely forgotten about her hair. While she didn’t have any delusions over vanity even on normal days, right now leaving it wet could very well get her sick, something that was bound to make things even more difficult than they already were.

“You were all testy,” she reasoned, wincing as the rope Bogh had pulled around her wrists tightened, wishing the anxious tone in her voice that came with the words weren't so genuine. “I didn’t think… it thought it’d be better to just get out,” she mumbled.

She heard a sigh, before he turned her around, doing the same around her knees again. The stare once he was done made her nervous; could he see something? Had she said something she shouldn't have in the brief exchange of words? 

She didn't know what to think in regard to Bogh anymore. While he was invariably preferable to Sendak, or that other creep who sometimes came in to check on her neck and burns—Macidus?—she couldn’t trust her own judgement with Bogh. 

At least she could count on Sendak to be a psycho. He was reasonably consistent with his creepy attitude. But Bogh? Sometimes it was unsettling how much he hadn’t changed a bit.

The man sitting in front of her lashing her ankles together was the person who’d been following her between classes, to her internship, had stopped over in the spare room in her oversized-for-one-person penthouse after her horrendous last break-up, and had always taken the seat a row behind when she went to see Monsters & Mana and KBP films in the cinema with her friends. Or carried the big bags of dog-food for her during something as simple as her monthly food shop.

“W-What?” she asked when he turned back to the rope, tying it off.

“Nothing you need to worry over,” he said. “Can I trust you to keep your mouth shut all by yourself a little longer?”

Katie flinched at the question. Trust? He wanted to know if he could  _ trust _ her? Was that another bad joke? Was she supposed to answer that without raging and screaming? Was she supposed to dignify it with a response at all?

The conflict must have been evident on her face, because he tugged on one of the sodden locks hanging around her shoulders. “Stay quiet and I’ll dry it off a bit for you; I think Twyla’s hair dryer is hanging around somewhere,” he explained. “Well?”

Things like this confused her. She understood he wasn’t being nice. That was impossible after he’d dragged her into this hell-hole to begin with. But things like this were unsettling and almost kind enough to count, and she bit her lip. Why did  _ she _ feel guilty? 

“Does it make that much of a difference?” she asked scathingly, trying to keep the still raw hurt out of her voice. 

“Well it’s no use to either of us if you catch pneumonia,” he shrugged. “I told you; this is only going to be as uncomfortable as you and your father make it Katie,” he reminded her. “So? Do you want me to dry it off or not?”

What she wanted to do was to smack him in the face, but the thought of hanging around for hours with wet hair wasn’t appealing. The thought made her feel more exposed and raw than she already was. 

After her reluctant nod, Bogh scooped her up, and dropped her back onto the mattress. Before he left, he bundled one of the rags—a clean one at least—that they’d been shoving into her mouth, but left off the microfoam tape with a pointed look, daring her to spit it out. 

It was like she was being tested, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Wasn’t sure if she was starting to cave to the ease of compliance, or behaving as he wanted so as not to draw attention to her internal attempts to find loopholes. Or just going along with things to avoid putting herself in danger the way her father had pleaded with her to.

Bogh left the room, leaving her to her conflicted thought process. He hadn’t tied her arms up as much as before, but he locked the door behind him, and it wasn’t long before he came back, hair dryer in hand.

He took her detangler from the bathroom, and after some rearranging, sat down behind her, pulling it through the knots, his hand covering the back of her neck where the burns still needed to be covered with fresh gauze when he plugged in the hair dryer. The motion was almost calming and eerily intimate. She felt a bit sick, but let him finish. 

He tied it out of the way into a plait, tying it off with a soft hair scrunchie, putting the antiseptic cream and bandage and dressings on. The whole thing took about half an hour, and by the end of it, Katie had a feeling she wouldn’t be thinking much about the screw for the rest of the day as he patched up her neck. 

He’d been too gentle about it, making sure not to tug at the knots, and she didn’t know if that was good or not. Of all the people in this building, Bogh was the worst one to deal with, but the only one she could reasonably tolerate; he contrasted himself so much, all the time, and she had no idea how to deal with him, like now.

Despite the apparent generosity in something as dumb as drying her hair (why did she agree? A cold wouldn’t kill her, and if being sick was bad for Sendak, then so much the better), he started looping the ropes around her chest and upper arms again, and she deflated into the tension that came with them.

He pulled her arms up and she tried to pull them back, protesting, but not spitting out the wad of fabric in her mouth; the confusion was enough to make her unsure if that would earn Bogh’s anger or not. So far, she hadn’t, and that was probably a good thing.

“Hey, hey,” she could hear the frown in his voice as his arm came around her front, holding her still as he spoke into her ear, one hand shoving the gag back in where it had slipped. “You knew it was coming, calm down, don't get wound up,” he said, tone almost sounding like he was trying to be soothing. 

His hand covered her mouth so she couldn't spit the rag out to retort, and his spare reached out for the roll of microfoam tape. He wound it over her mouth and around her head again, before going back to her wrists, pulling them back between her shoulders and fastening them to the rest of the ropes. 

There was a sting in her elbows and shoulders already and she wriggled out and away from him as soon as he finished, backing into her corner where she slept for a semblance of reassurance.

Sleeping on her side was iffy. She risked roll over onto her face in the middle of the night, or whenever her hyper awareness faded enough to let her sleep, so she’d kicked her pillows into the corner of the mattress until they stood up, bunched up against the wall. 

That way she didn’t have to sleep on her arms, and either cut off her circulation completely, or suffocate herself while she was sleeping. Bogh had even brought her a few more pillows the other day after he’d asked her about it.

“I know you don’t like it, but you’ve been good the past few days,” he said, his voice even, patient, almost understanding as he caught her glare. It made her feel sick again. “I’ll talk to Sendak about giving you a little breather, but it’s his decision, not mine; you’ll just have to tolerate it for now.” he added

Katie felt like her mind was doing somersaults trying to figure out if that was good or bad. Was he really being kind? She had no idea, but she had trouble putting Bogh into the same category as Sendak, dispute everything he’d done, and she hated how much confusion that gave her.

“I’ll be back later,” he promised, before leaving her once again to the locked silence of the room, and the worry of her own thoughts.

* * *

Pidge, as much as I'm rooting for you... I feel like your stubbornness is gonna be a problem, not just for yourself, but for the writing ~~why do characters never think of the writing?~~


	8. Caution to The Wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

For as much as she hated the compliance, Katie had to admit that protesting less and going along with what Sendak, Bogh or any of the others wanted had made some slight improvements to her circumstances. 

Her eye, as seen in her reflection in the bath taps, was still dark and swollen, but she was starting to see out of it again, and after five days of keeping her head down, letting the sound of howling winds and lashes of rain on the glass of the blocked off windows lull her to sleep, and avoiding doing anything too active, Bogh had come in for the usual morning routine with some unusual news. 

‘ _I told Sendak that the rope burn was getting bad, and as long as you behave, he’s agreed that you can have some breathing space, so to speak._ ’ he’d said when she was between mouthfuls of muesli. ‘ _He wants to send more videos instead of photos; be a bit more co-operative about the updates for your brother, and you can have some time out of the ropes, supervised, obviously. Keep it up, and it’ll happen more often. Sound good?_ ’

She hated it. The offer was valuable though; even if it was supervised, time free to move around as she wished would be good for her, she knew that. She tried not to feel as grateful for it as she did—the thought of being able to move around, even inside the box of a room she’d been stuck in sounded far too good for her to avoid appreciating it, but she knew it wasn’t out of kindness.

Reluctantly, Katie agreed. She just hadn't expected the turn about to be so fast, and had been taken by surprise when Bogh came into the room and started cutting the ropes off and took the gag off her an hour later, but it meant good things. Sort of.

It meant Sendak thought he’d instilled a healthy enough amount of control over her that she wouldn't try to escape, and he was right on one of those counts. While she was given some of her mobility back, Katie was reluctant to try anything just yet. She needed more time, and she needed to know more about how things worked outside of her room.

So, she relented, waved to the camera after she’d recovered from the confusion, and after a rest, letting the feeling sort itself out in her limbs, she got to eat her own food for the first time in days. Her hands were shaky, and she spilled porridge all over her shirt holding the spoon, but she wasn’t spoon fed like a baby. That alone was a freaking luxury she was going to relish.

She wasn’t so keen on the choice of supervisor though; Macidus might have been okay, but Bogh made her nervous. She had so many questions running around in her head, and ironically, now that she had the freedom to ask them, she kind of wished she didn’t, because she didn’t want to know the answers.

The scary part was that Bogh had obviously been expecting the questions to come out at some point, because he was the one to start the awkward conversation in the first place.

The fifth day, when she had been allowed a second break, and was splayed out on the mattress, stretching her arms and legs as best she could (she didn’t dare do any sit ups anywhere but the bathroom), her own frustration and need to understand got the better of her.

She couldn’t stand the friendly attitude combined with the situation any more, and found herself trying to gauge his mood, before turning her eyes back to the ceiling. 

Even if she asked that infernal ‘ _why?_ ’ hanging around in the back of her mind, what was the guarantee he would even tell her anything? He’d already refused to tell her how long she’d been here. Why on earth would he tell her why he…

She exhaled through her nose before she got mad, or worse, upset. She still had trouble wrapping her head around the fact that Bogh, someone she’d trusted her life with, was one of the many reasons why her parents had been so worried about her safety in the first place.

She couldn’t help thinking about her words, all the ways they could be in and out of context; of all the things to have happened in her life, this had to be the first situation she’d ever had cause to want to hear them so desperately. Maybe she was just being hopeful, but she didn't have a plan of her own to escape yet, so she needed something.

Besides, whether this was going to be the shittiest soul-meet ever or not, it still didn’t make it any easier to talk to Bogh, or erase the confusion, hurt and anger at him, or make his decisions and actions make any sense the way just asking a damn question would.

“Spit it out,” Bogh said, catching her by surprise. He hadn’t even looked up from his datapad, zoned out in another eBook, just like back in the lab, mere moments before he’d stabbed that needle into her neck.

“I didn’t say anything,” she frowned, turning towards the wall.

“You always get into a huff when you want to ask complicated questions, but haven’t decided if you’re going to or not,” he said. “It’s infuriating watching you decide, so get it out into the open, for the sake of both our sanities.”

“Will you even bother answering me?” she asked, bristling at the blunt mannerisms that had once been so reassuring; for as much as she had... _resisted_ the notion of having a bodyguard with Shiro, she had got along with Bogh a little easier. Probably because she had been more used to it by then, and part because she’d got to pick from the people Shiro and her dad had approved of. 

She was normally a decent judge of character, and had been fairly sure of Bogh’s for the past two years; so far, despite his obvious deception, nothing else had changed. That was what made it so unnerving to deal with him. 

Rolling onto her side she sat up, trying to pull her thoughts into a definitive enough question; she didn’t know if she could manage it in one, and she didn’t want him to just brush her off again.

‘ _Why did you do this?_ ’ didn't quite sound right anymore; she knew the answer to that now. Or at least a basic answer. 

Sendak wanted access to designs he couldn’t get from anyone but her father, and wanted the normally life-saving technology twisted into something to kill people instead. Bogh obviously just _believed_ in whatever propaganda he’d been fed. 

The question was when he’d started having those beliefs. She knew he’d met his soulmate. Katie had met Ladnok before. She liked her, and the woman always answered her desperate fashion disaster texts. She went to university with his son! They were good friends and…

...was Vrek part of this too? They’d realised they had a few shared classes at university after Bogh and his family had come round for dinner when he’d first been hired, and once the conversation had gone into KBP, they’d gained a good level of friendship that had even prompted them to save some electives together for the last year of their degree so they could take the classes together.

She hadn’t seen Vrek, but that didn't mean he wasn't here. Was Ladnok involved? Had that all been a lie too? She didn’t know anymore. Bogh and his family had always seemed happy, but now she didn’t even know if they had been something created for her now shattered fantasy of a relatively normal life. 

If they weren’t fake, then she was even more confused. If Ladnok really was his soulmate, then Katie didn't understand how Bogh could sympathise with or believe anything from a person as twisted and crazy as Sendak.

“If I think it’s safe to tell you, yes,” he said, still looking at his eBook. Katie frowned, but she’d kind of expected that. Still, it was worth trying a few obvious questions.

“Is Vrek part of this?”

“No, you two KBP junkies started that relationship without any help from me,” Bogh snorted. “If it eases your mind, he’s been kinda pissed off with me since the news broke. Wants me to turn myself in.”

“Sounds like we’re in agreement then,” she spat bitterly.

That sounded like the truth (she couldn't help wondering if Vrek was okay) and Katie took it as a good start enough to press some more interesting questions on him. “How long have I been here?” she asked.

Bogh looked up for a moment, looking like he was counting in his head. He made a few finger calculations too, before turning back to the datapad again. 

“Twenty-seven days,” he said calmly.

He said it so quickly Katie thought she had misheard him; replaying the words in her head, she was sure that if she didn’t already have shaky legs, they would have been with that revelation.

 _Twenty-seven days?_ Had it really been that long? He was lying. He had to be. He was just trying to confuse her by messing with her head, giving her misinformation. He was trying to confuse her, he had to be. Why else would he be so free with information that he’d previously withheld? 

“I don't believe you,” she said bluntly. “Prove it.”

Bogh stopped his reading, raising an eyebrow at her, before locking his datapad closed, then tapping the thumb ID menu button, bring up the intermediary screen. Beneath the time was the date, plain as day: _Sunday, 1_ _st_ _August, 2230_. 

Katie quickly tried to think back to the day she had been kidnapped. She’d been working on the last parts of her thesis in the lab. It had been due on the 7th of June but at the time, it had been two days before that. Meaning Bogh had kidnapped her on the 5th.

With horror churning in her stomach, Katie found with a quick calculation that Bogh wasn’t lying at all; it really had been twenty-seven days. 

“I thought you couldn’t tell me things like that?” She asked finally; maybe he’d changed the date settings on the datapad somehow?

“Princess, use that big brain of yours,” he snorted. “If no-one's come looking for you after nearly a month, telling you how long you’ve been here is going to change that.”

Katie ground her teeth, not wanting to comment because he was right. Most rescues she’s seen on the news or on television were quick. 

She’d heard of drawn-out kidnappings, like that one in Taujeer that had ended up with the victims being released (because the people who had taken over the bank had felt sorry for them). Then there were the other ones, where the victims had become so mixed up that they refused to go to court against the people who had kidnapped them, or visited them even after they had been incarcerated.

Long ones, or at least long ones where the police were already involved, didn’t happen often that she knew of and it was unnerving to wonder—albeit sarcastically—if she was setting some sort of record; she didn’t even want to think about how her family could be handling it. 

The end of the call with them had been so sudden, she hadn’t reacted well. She remembered hearing her mother crying after Bogh had blindfolded her right there in front of the camera. It didn’t feel like it had been so long since she had seen them, and felt like an age too, but now that she had a number to work with, she told herself her reaction was reasonable. 

It still made her feel sick though, and she didn’t know if that behaviour would be repeated when she finally got to talk to them again. The call had highlighted to her just how mixed up her head was right now. 

She wanted to go home. She didn’t want her dad to cave to this extortion. She missed them. That Keith guy hadn’t been wrong about her life being worth less than that of hundreds of people who would suffer with the plans Sendak wanted. 

She didn't want to die, something she had become acutely aware of as a possibility, but she didn’t want to be the cause of something that would be created for mass destruction.

Death was a fear that had lingered in her mind since Sendak had stubbed his cigarette out on the back of her neck, with such a poker face that it had just been a chore to him. She’d woken up some nights from her already awkward sleep with the feel of his hands around her neck and Bogh usually appeared, taking the gag off her until she calmed down.

She needed to find a way home. She had been given an opportunity to do that now, but she needed to be careful. While she had a certain amount of knowledge of Bogh’s personality, and how he could be pushed, her character judgement had clearly been very, very wrong. 

Bogh, on the other hand, had a great deal of intimate knowledge of her life. That had been his job, on both accounts of his work. She would have to word her questions extremely carefully if she wanted to learn anything, even if it was just about her surroundings.

So far, all she knew was that she was in a city, somewhere. Her food wasn’t anything that couldn't be heated up in a microwave, so she didn’t think it was a house. She had a limited view of the skyscrapers and apartment buildings from the vent in the bathroom, but couldn’t see anything that gave her location an identity she recognised. 

It was probably still in Terra though; Bogh and Lahn had driven her here, and the borders with Altea and Drule were all much farther than could be driven by hovercar in the time period her initial abduction had taken place in. 

So, she didn’t think she had left the country, but she probably wasn’t in County Olkaria. Bluve and Talwarshire were the next closest counties, so they were more likely than any others, but she had no way of knowing that for sure; for all she knew, they _had_ been driving longer, and they could be in Niloofar or Yendailian.

Going by what she had seen of it, the building looked older, and like a converted office, but the only time she had left her room was when Sendak had made her talk to Matt that one time, the call to her parents, and her initial arrival. 

Everything else, the updates, the video of the news conference they’d made her watch had been in her room. For each of those times she’d left it, she was blindfolded for going back and forth between her room and the camera set up, so she hadn’t been able to work much out on how the layout worked.

If she wanted to go home, she needed more information about her location, her surroundings. She had to do exactly as he ex-bodyguard said, and use her head. She had to be smart. She had to be patient. She had to focus. 

‘ _Patience yields focus_ ’ Shiro always said when he’d helped her study and she got frustrated with questions that were less complex than she wanted them to be.

If she was patient, she’d learn what she needed to. It would take time, but she could find something. She knew she could, and to do that, she needed to talk to Bogh. Taking a deep breath, she settled her thoughts again, before looking back towards the unsettlingly calm man as he pursued more pages of his book.

“Were you working for that maniac before?” she asked, the bitterness edging into her voice. “Or did you sign up for this after my dad hired you?”

Bogh glanced up from his datapad, then turned his eyes back to his book. “Long before,” he said after a moment, and Katie tried not to flinch at the confirmation that everything she had known about him for the past two years had been nothing but lies and deceit. “I recommend you try not to call Sendak names; that maniac is your host right now. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

“It’s a good thing I’m talking to you then, since the only thing he does is terrorise people,” she shot back with a scowl. “I’m not going to call him anything except what he is, which is a maniac and psychopath,” she muttered. And a murderer, but she wasn't stupid enough to go that far, even if Sendak wasn't in the room.

“You can say what you like, but don’t say I didn’t warn you if he hears it,” Bogh shrugged blandly.

She fizzed with indignation at the offhand mannerism, the casual tone, like they were talking about the weather. Weather. She couldn't see out of the windows, but knowing that might be helpful; it’d at least tell her about the climate outside. That might be something that could help her try and figure out her location. However vaguely. But how to ask?

Biting her lip, she pulled at the end of her hair, examining the now numerous split ends, trying to decide if she wanted to know the answers to her next few ‘ _big questions_ ’.

“If…” she frowned, trying to place the words in her mind. “If you were working for him all along then why…” she paused again, frustrated by her own hesitation on this question more than any of the others.

He quirked an eyebrow at her over his glasses, and knowing he was actually paying attention this time just made it harder to phrase herself

“You dried my hair off,” she blurted finally. “You come through when…” when she had the nightmares and panic attacks in the middle of the night. “…I’m not sleeping. It doesn't make sense to me. You're not my bodyguard anymore. You just said you never have been. Why bother when you don't give a damn what happens to me anyway?” she settled on finally, the sting in the last question reaching her eyes.

She pushed it down, unwilling to start crying again. She’d done enough of that already, and unless she was in the middle of one of those things she couldn't control—the panic attacks, or in genuine danger of some sort—she didn't want to be seen that way, even if it would make her look more complacent. She still had some pride left, and if she let that go, she really would have given up.

Bogh eyed her as she spoke, face unmoving, leaving her anonymous to anything he was thinking.

“Because I don't hate you Princess,” he said. “You’re a means to an end, yes, but that matter is separate to my personal opinions,” he explained. “You’re a good person, so I’m not going to go out of my way to be unpleasant for the sake of it. It’s just easier for everyone if I’m the one responsible for you; I’ve been doing that for two years already. Circumstances may have changed for you, but it's still the same job to me.”

Katie bit down on the expletives and demands for further explanation, all the questions that still lingered. The sound of his tone didn’t suggest any further probing there would yield any results. 

Bogh had always less easy to convince to let her have space than Shiro, even if it was just a bit of distance on a date or something. She could hear that tone in his voice now, the unmoving, firm denial and shut down on a subject he refused to give further thought on. She didn't want to push her luck—she might need to talk to him again—so she had no choice but to trust her gut instinct on it being the same as the one she knew.

Right now, she just needed to keep talking. She couldn’t lose this opportunity just yet. Aside from a chance of information, however meagre, she was kind of enjoying the opportunity to talk to someone. Even if her single option until she could talk to her parents again was Bogh.

It was scary how quickly she’d started looking forward to this ‘ _breathing space_ ’ as Bogh had called it when first bringing it up to her. Roughly the same time every day, same as everything else meal wise, or when he can to check the bandages on her neck. She’d started anticipating it, and while she hadn’t spoken much so far, the option had been something she hadn’t realised she’d crave so much. 

Being untied was unparalleled bliss, but talking? Being able to think about something and mumble to herself? Or just say yes or no vocally? It was a bittersweet taste of freedom that didn’t go away once she’d been given it.

While in her head she was trying to calculate her questions, make them as beneficial as she could without coming across as suspicious, she just wanted to talk, however insignificant or small a thing it might seem.

Letting that feeling take over for her, and its genuine desperation to her tongue, she flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. “Can I read one of your stupid romance eBooks?” She asked, her voice sounding through the room a little quieter than before.

“What?” Bogh asked, sounding as though the question had been a surprise.

“Your eBooks,” she repeated after a moment. “Your dumb bodice-rippers and fantasy-shifter romances, can I read one of them?” she asked. “Or even just a newspaper hologram?”

“You really think I’m going to put something with a computer in it in front of you right now?” He looked up at her from his book again. “The only way you’re seeing any news is when Sendak _wants_ you to; until then, I can guarantee you that not even so much as a newspaper is going to touch your hands.” 

“I don’t care about the news, it wouldn’t do me any good,” she bristled, trying not to grumble too much at the obvious ploy being caught. “I just want something to do apart from admire the plaster in the ceiling all day! I’m bored!” she whined instead. 

Bogh quirked a corner of his lip in amusement. “I don’t know who told you otherwise, but you’ve been kidnapped, sweetheart,” he pointed out. “It’s not supposed to be fun.”

Katie stared at him; was that supposed to be a joke? Was he really trying to crack a joke about all this? 

“You just said you weren’t going to be unpleasant for the sake of it,” she pointed out, trying not to grind her teeth.

“And being bored isn't going to kill you, make you grumpy maybe, but it can’t be worse than how mad you were after you broke up with Jeff,” he replied, his eyes back on his book. 

“All I wanted was half an hour to talk to him alone! You couldn’t even give me that?” Katie choked, her temper rising. “Really? What, were you worried someone else was going to come along and snatch me before you could?”

“Not exactly,” he said, amusement curling on his lip again, crinkling into the corner of his eyes even as he pretended to read. “He was just a _cunt_ , and I didn't trust him not to try pushing his luck for more than the time you wanted to tell him to hop it.” 

Katie didn't know if rolling face first into the pillows she’d laid flat while she could stretch out and grumbling into them for a while was the right decision, but she did it anyway. There was no doubt that Bogh had the same kind of brick wall attitude he’d had before.

“Come on, try again.”

And the stupid jokes that were entirely inappropriate now. Out of context, she might have laughed, but now it just felt like she was being made fun of, and that was not what she wanted. She wanted, she _needed_ , information.

She could only look around her room and try to shuffle across the floor to listen at the door to the hallway, poke around the nooks and crannies in the bathroom so many times before she stopped seeing anything different. She'd exhausted everything she could glean from these rooms already, and it wasn’t enough.

One of the boards on the windows was a bit loose in one corner, but when she was left alone it took all her effort to lean against a wall. It wasn’t like the window in the first van she’d been carted off in either, where the paint had missed one corner. 

If she were to see anything where the window was loose, she’d need to use her hands to pull the boards, and she couldn’t do that while they were tied behind her back, and Bogh wasn’t going to let her near it now. Aside from that, there wasn’t anything else to take note of. No-one seemed dumb enough to talk outside the door in the hallway either.

“Has it been raining?” She asked again. 

Bogh frowned, pausing again. “You want to talk about the weather?” he checked. 

“I thought I could hear it behind the boards on the window for the past few days. It’s nice…” she said. “It helps me sleep at night,” she sighed. “I just wondered how long it was going to last. It’s just… something to distract myself with.”

Bogh was watching her steadily, probably trying to gauge how much she was fishing for information or if she was just bored (which was also true—the boredom was as criminal as the people enforcing it on her) and desperate for conversation. Katie wondered on what she’d reply if he asked herself.

“There’s been a bit of a storm going,” he said finally. “Hurricane Ranveig hit over the Caylum Desert in Yendailian a couple of days ago so the backlash has been going for a while. Might last for a few days.”

Storm weather? No, but close enough to be affected by one; Katie tried to picture all the places that got attacked by vicious storms year after year, and remained in spite of the annual trials. Tried to think about which places got affected by the weather, but it was too broad.

Terra was hardly the biggest country in the world, but it wasn't them smallest either; when Drule’s annual storm season crashed down with a vengeance, the only spots that were affected in Terra were the counties close to or in the Caylum desert, the settlements mainly in Niloofar and Yendailian.

Just knowing there was a hurricane somewhere in that region, which was causing her location to get a bit more wet and blustery, didn’t really give her much to go on; she suspected Bogh knew that too.

She needed something else, but she didn’t know what.

“Any more questions?” he checked.

There was one, it had been on the tip of her tongue for days, and it might be the only one that would serve her no purpose to ask, and would probably only make things more unpleasant if she got the answer she suspected. 

It would also be exactly the kind of question she ought to be asking though. The kind of thing that had probably been uttered a thousand times by other people held in conditions not unlike her own; she knew she had to ask, for her own unhealthy curiosity, and for the sake of trying to appear docile as long as she could.

“How much longer is this going to last?” she asked; the sound in the words was hopeless as it ought to be, but after she spoke, Katie knew the question hadn't been for the sake of trying to look like she had accepted her situation

The tiredness in her voice wasn’t some kind of exaggeration, it came from a real place; the part of her brain that was exhausted from keeping watch, analysing everything around her, from processing, just wanted simple answers now. Not confusing ones that just led her to more questions she wouldn’t get responses to. 

It would be so, so easy to just stop, and let things unfold as they would. She still had the hope that her words were not misappropriated, that this horrifying experience was really what would lead her to her soulmate, and she refused to let that go just in case she needed a last resort, but making things happen herself…

It was exhausting. She just wanted it to be over, wanted to know if that chance of eventual freedom was even possible, which was what led to her additional question: “Are you going to let me go at all?”

The question hung in silence for what was just shy of being uncomfortably long before Bogh checked something on his datapad, then looked up tucking it into his pocket. “Times almost up; do you want a shower?” he asked.

“You didn't answer my question,” she said, tensing.

“Because neither of those replies are my decision, so I can’t tell you,”

“You have an idea though,” she pushed; she didn't think she’d gone too far yet. His tone was more exasperated than angry, not the kind of firm when she knew he wasn't going to humour her anymore either.

“If your father does as he’s been asked and converts the neutralisers, I’m sure a drop and exchange will be arranged; if he doesn't, or the police try to intervene too directly and prevent us from getting them, then Sendak will kill you.” he said, simply, like he was explaining one of the self-defence techniques he’d had as much luck as Shiro in making her take seriously. “Do you want the shower or not?”

The casual manner and almost conversational revelation—which she had known anyway, Sendak had already proved that already, but she’d still felt like she needed to hear it in the open to convince herself this wasn't just a bad dream—stilled her response on her tongue.

She tried to concentrate on what he was asking her; the first time she’d been given this hour of ‘ _breathing space_ ’, he’d been willing to let her cheat and extend the time by having her shower after it, presumably because there was nowhere else for her to go in the bathroom. 

It gave her two hours, and she knew she couldn't afford to lose that time. Eventually she nodded, but she couldn’t convince herself to move; she just wanted to curl up and forget about her jailer for a while. 

After standing and waiting for her to move of her own accord, Bogh grabbed hold of her arm and started pulling her to her feet. 

Instinctively she pulled, trying to yank her arm from his grip until she was already shoved inside the doorway, and its bolt had closed behind her, and Bogh’s blunt warning hanging in her ears: “Next time you want to ask questions, don't ask ones you don't want to hear the answers to Princess.”

Katie kept the fresh waves of fear, confusion, and anger in check, pulling red leggings, a beige t-shirt and a black-and-white striped hoodie from the holdall, trying to distract herself until the running spray of the water was loud enough to hide everything from ears beyond the doorway.

* * *

Bogh made no mistakes in telling Katie about the weather, but it was the weather that ironically gave her a window of clarity in her isolated prison room.

She tried not to think about her conversation with him as the wind howled around the building she was being held in, tried to convince herself the hurt didn’t come from the warning words on Sendak’s plans for her, or the person who had spoken them.

Katie liked to think it was because she’d been so conflicted in talking to Bogh at all, how unsettled she’d been during the conversation, and that she’d been more concerned with trying to learn about her surroundings without being noticed (when he knew that was exactly what she was trying to do). 

His familiar blunt honesty in the response and new, alien detachment were what she had found so unsettling, and his demeanour hacked at her wavering motivation daily. She tried to think about what she knew to distract herself, but it wasn't much, and when she had poured over all she knew numerous times, rumination, doubt and fear took over.

Katie hadn't been able to tell much about the building, not from the inside of her limited prison. She’d She knew it was old, and she had seen the loosened edge of the window board. She had no reason to think those two pieces of information would be of use to her.

Knowing how long she had been imprisoned for was more useful; it made it much easier to calculate time passing, and she tracked it as it pulled her into a month of captivity over the next three days. 

The pelt of the rain and howl of the wind whistled around the building was what drifted her off to her usual, moderately uncomfortable sleep. 

Bogh hadn’t let her shower since their conversation, and she had been left alone in her room like before, except for his food and toilet checks. The relative luxury of two hours rope free was something that she had quickly begun to miss, but Katie had plenty of time to continue her exhausted observations over the past few days in her reluctant privacy. 

She had noticed the building swaying a little, during the day, and there had been a couple of extra blankets brought through for her, but she didn't realise how strong the storm was until the door slammed open, startling her awake with a muffled scream.

She thought it might be Sendak, come to drag her off to her death already—she couldn't help but wonder how long his patience would last some nights, and half expected him to show up with a canister of petrol and lighter in hand like he’d promised her father, or dreamt of his hands around her neck, the first day she had arrived. only when her dreams remind her of the suffocating feeling, it didn’t stop. His fingers didn't let go.

With either, she usually woke up screaming, sometimes panicking enough that Bogh would come through, and on the back of one of those dreams, she awoke what could only be chaos reigning through the dark room.

Her ears screeched and howled, something scratched and stung her face and neck, and she screamed, convinced it was a strange extension of her nightmares turned into reality. Reacting the only way she could, Katie curled into a ball, trying to protect herself from something that she already knew wasn't imaginary.

That was probably how she got the chance she did to glimpse the outside world, but at least she still had good reason to be screaming, sobbing (again, she was getting kind of sick of it, but rationale wasn't exactly the motivation rather than survival instinct, what was probably PTSD, and plain old fear), and feeling like the world had gone dark again.

The door opened and despite the panic that had taken hold of her, she listened, and hearing footsteps, unsure of what was happening, trying to use the events around her to ground herself. The footsteps and the turn of the lock scraped at her ears, before she heard the creak of the old floorboards in the room, and someone put their hands on her shoulders.

“Hey, hey, it's okay,” Bogh said. “It’s just the storm.”

She cringed away from the touch on her shoulders, her hair whipping at her face as someone pulled her up, their arms tight around as wind rushed through the room from somewhere, like the mess inside her brain as she tried to bring herself back to rational thought.

Trying to pull herself out of the hold, away from danger, and she realised that her hair whipping around her face wasn't the result of her mind playing tricks on her. She really could feel the wind on her face. She opened her eyes to the natural darkness of the night before dawn as another set of footsteps approached the doorway.

“What’s happened?” Sendak’s voice asked, louder, edged with anger. “Did she do something? What’s wrong with her?”

“No, it was the window, she just wakes up a lot.” Bogh said, his voice close, identifying the person holding her in a vice grip. “Spooked her more than usual. I think she’s got a few scratches from the glass though.”

The window? Glass? Katie tried to look around through the dark, her eyes struggling to make anything out until they settled on the wall leading from the head of her mattress. Where the boarded-up window had been, she could see the glow of streetlights, dull orange like the embers of a fire being doused by the onslaught of sheet rain ponding against the stone.

“Shouldn’t we move?” Bogh asked. “The worst of it is past, but I still think we’d be safer at another other spot.”

“If it hasn’t stopped or gets worse tomorrow we might have to,” Sendak grunted. Katie could feel his eyes on her as Bogh tried to coax her down from the fright-induced panic attack. “But for now, I think we’ll be fine.”

Why were they talking about moving? Had the police been nearby? The investigation team that was presumably working with her father? Or was it the storm? Most buildings were equipped to handle weather like this nowadays, but the older ones could be damaged easily. There weren't many left that hadn’t been updated to modern building regulations

“We’ll have to move her. Until the window can be boarded up at least.”

“Where to?” Bogh asked. “Your room?”

Katie flinched, her protests stilling, bones chilled at the thought. They wanted to move her to _Sendak’s_ room? _No. No. No. No. No_ _!_ She didn't want that. That was the last place she wanted to be! She didn't want to be remotely close to Sendak, not like this! His presence was enough to make her heartbeat palpitate in her throat, make her skin crawl with fear of what he’d already proven himself capable.

Her eyes had adjusted enough to make him out, crouched down in front of her, and she shrank back into Bogh’s hold, preferring that to any proximity to Sendak, but he was still well within range to reach out and grab her chin, pulling it to face him as Bogh held her struggles in check. 

“You can rest easy, Miss Holt,” he said, voice almost soft. “It's just the wind,” 

She wrenched her head free for a moment, a garble of words stopped on her tongue by the gag on her, cringing away from the reassurances before he caught her face with his hand again, turning it towards him.

“I did wonder if you’d tried an ill-conceived escape attempt,” he said, his tome bemused. “You've been so cooperative lately I almost thought it was a ruse,” he added, a smile on his face that made her neck go hot and cold around the burn scars on the back of it. 

She let herself cry. Mainly because after what she’d woken up experiencing, it was hard not to, but also because the way Sendak spoke to her; the cloying tone, the eerie softness in his grip on her chin, it made her think about his casual approach to violence and his previous threats, and Bogh’s chilling words—‘ _Sendak will kill you_ ’—three days before. The fear it all conjured was terrifying. 

Not to mention his words were really right on point. Hadn't she been trying to be cooperative to avoid being a target until she could escape, as he had stated? It had part been making life easier for herself, yes, but her main goal had been finding a way to escape.

Maybe she ought to stop, now, before she really did do something she couldn't take back. Before she crossed a line too far, and really made the cult’s terrifying ringleader angry. She’d managed it once already just from ignorant stubbornness. 

Was a chance of escape she hadn't found worth it? Worth the risk? Sendak had already proven that he’d hurt her regardless of what he’d promised her father, and despite what Bogh had told her, she wasn’t entirely sure that he would let her go in the end. That drove her desire for freedom more than anything else, but maybe she ought to just trust and hope that fate had other plans for her, or that the investigative teams would find her first.

Sendak smeared a thumb under her eyes as the tears spilled over her cheeks. “I'm glad to see I was wrong,” he said, like he was rewarding her for a gold star on her homework. “Keep it up, and I might just be generous the next time I call your father.”

Generous? She wasn’t sure she wanted his generosity, but was frozen until he dropped his grip on her chin, and turned back to Bogh.

“Put her in your room for now and have Macidus check over the cuts; we can make a decision on moving in the morning,” he said. “Get her sorted, then come give me a hand with the mess.”

“Alright,” Bogh said, and Katie felt herself being lifted as he stood, slung over his shoulder, watching the room disappearing as he headed for the door, turning through it and giving her a full view of the tower through the gaping maw where there had been glass and MDF board only minutes previously.

Lights of city streets shone through the blustering rain beyond it, and in the distance a large tower gleaming with lights and signage. It took a second before she realised that she was looking beyond her prison for the first time, and she furrowed her eyes, squinting through the rain, trying to scrutinise the view of the tower beyond rooftops.

The familiar shape was so jarring Katie could hardly believe she was seeing it; wasn’t that... Teludav Tower? The connection tower for Marchanda? Those giant glowing signs for tech companies and the digital ads were unmistakable. She’d seen them hundreds of times on her way across the city, on nights out, or just heading to work.

“Hold on,” Sendak said quickly, his footsteps crossing the room. “Before she gets an eyeful.”

Her brief glimpse of the outside world was over, and Sendak pulled the blindfold that usually hung around the door handle tight around her head. Her still-healing eye stung as the fabric was pulled against them, forcing her eyes closed without any gaps to speak of.

“Sorry,” Bogh said, as it was tied secure behind her head after the second wrap-around. “Didn't even think. Too early for all this.”

“It’s fine; don’t take it off while she’s out of here though. Even in your room. Just in case,” Sendak grunted. “Let’s not tempt all-mighty fate!” he laughed.

“Wasn’t planning too,” Bogh chuckled in reply. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

The brief glimpse through the broken window was a taste of freedom that cast thoughts of simply tolerating this existence from Katie’s mind. If she had been right, and that really was Teludav Tower, then she was still in Marchanda. She was mere miles from Voltedge HQ, from her penthouse, from Matt and Romelle’s, from her parents. It had been hard to make out because of the rain and her own poor vison, but she had seen that tower almost every single day for most of her life. She knew the silhouette as well as a clear picture of it.

As Bogh turned out of the room, she concentrated, following his movements in her mind, tracking the directions properly this time, putting herself into his point of view; first he turned right, then after a short trip, they started heading down. Another flat, then a right again, then down some more; a turn in the flight of stairs? Then he reached a flat and turned to the left.

It felt like the same route he had taken when she had been taken out of her room to call Matt, and for the call with her parents. Was that area below her own room? She tried to picture it all in her head as a door opened.

“What’s going on?” the voice of the man who sometimes checked on her burns and head asked, sounding startled as she was handed over to them. Whoever took hold of her, they carried her against their shoulder rather than like a stack of flour, which was a bit of an improvement. “What the fuck’s wrong with her now?”

“Window got blown in.” Bogh grunted. “She’s scratched up. Deal with that while I go get the bed and help Sendak. Leave the blindfold on her though,” he instructed.

“She looks half-dead Bogh,” the man—wasn’t his name Macidus?—asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be babysitting her?”he growled. 

“Panic attack when the storm broke the window,” Bogh said. “Don’t worry about it, she gets them all the time, and she’s always spooked when Sendak’s around.” Bogh’s tone was nondescript, tired or bored. Maybe both. “She’s not going to give you any drama, okay?” Was that an instruction to her, or a statement to his co-conspirator? “I’ll be back soon.”

Katie could hear his footsteps leaving the room as the other man let out a disgruntled sigh. His grip on her arms and under the hook of her knees wasn’t too strong, and a few moments later felt him set her down on some blankets. Lying down again, she could feel herself still shaking as events caught up with her, curling up, stifling a sob as it all threatened to take over again.

“Hold still, and try to calm down,” the man sighed, his hands carefully sliding something cold—a knife, or scissors—against her cheek beneath the gag. “Try to breathe slowly,” he added, pulling the strips away from her face and pulling the rag from between her teeth.

She coughed, trying to taste fresh air on her tongue, feeling her chest heave in desperation for easy breathing and unblocked air. She hadn’t been strangled, but between the nightmares, the scare from the storm, Sendak, and the resulting panic attack, it almost felt like she had.

“Slowly, slowly,” the man said calmly, and she tried to listen. It was the same as what Bogh always told her to do when she woke up at night, and she knew it was the best thing to do. Breathe, focus. 

“That’s it girl, take your time,” the man sighed as her breathing settled. “I’ve got no interest in hurting you; you’re safe now.” he said.

For an instant, her blood froze—

**‘ _You’re safe now._ ’**

—her words echoing in her ears before she stopped the thought. It wasn’t the first thing he’d said to her. It had been horribly close, enough to nearly scare any hope from her, but it hadn’t been the words she was supposed to her form her soulmate.

“You’ve got some nasty scratches from the glass breaking. I’m going to patch them up. Understand?”

Katie didn’t trust her voice, and just nodded instead. Knowing it wasn't her… Knowing it wasn’t what she had first thought was ironically, despite her initial panic, still the most reassuring thing she had heard all night. 

The gravelly-voiced man—Macidus, she was sure it was Macidus—tended to the stinging, but reasonably shallow, scrapes and cuts from the glass; he even slackened off the blindfold a little. Not enough that she could remove it by rubbing her head against something, but it wasn't stinging her eye either.

As he completed his work tending to her injuries, Katie managed to relax a little in the presence of—in physical form at least—genuine medical care, and forgot about what she had seen until long after he was done. 

Bogh had returned not long later with her mattress. After the gag had been replaced, she was laid in utter darkness on it with fresh plasters on her cheeks and neck, listening to the low snores of the two men. As the onslaught of the rain echoed dim through the walls of her new location within the building, she remembered the window, the sight it had offered for a tiny moment.

She drifted off to sleep with the sight—Teludav Tower, she was certain that was what she had seen—of freedom roaming in her mind, and Sendak’s words of intimidation all but a whisper.

She was still in Marchanda. She wasn't in a foreign country, or even a different city she didn’t know. She was in the very town she where she had lived and worked all her life. If she could find something else to pinpoint herself, she could really try to plan and escape from this nightmare, or at least try to give the police clues during her video calls with her parents and Matt.

She just needed more time, and a chance. With her determination reassured, the rest of the night passed in dreamless, uninterrupted sleep.

* * *

Don't you just _love_ Bogh? ~~actually don't answer that I don't want to get shouted at~~

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Stay safe!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> •Some time has passed, and Bogh tells Katie that provided she is willing to be more cooperative in regards to the ' _updates_ ' for her family, Sendak will allow her to have ' _breaks_ ', supervised time unrestrained.
> 
> •Katie agrees, for the sake of appearing more cooperative, hoping the change will be good for her, and give her a chance to learn about her surroundings. She makes a reluctant effort to wave at the phone when Bogh first unties her.
> 
> •During her second ' _break_ ' Katie goes back and forth on whether she should try to ask Bogh anything before he, sensing her indecision, prompts her to do so, telling her he'll tell her what he considers safe to reveal.
> 
> •He confirms one of her friends, his son, is not involved and wants him to turn himself in––' _you two KBP junkies started that relationship without any help from me._ '
> 
> •He also confirms she has been held captive for 27 days; Katie doesn't believe him, and Bogh shows her his phone screen so she can see the date, stating ' _If no-one's come looking for you after nearly a month, telling you how long you’ve been here is going to change that_ '
> 
> •He tells her that he was working for Sendak ' _long_ before he got involved with her father.
> 
> •Katie falters a little when she asks why he is, relatively speaking, still ' _kind_ ' to her if he doesn't give a damn; Bogh tells her he doesn't hate her for being a means to an end, and that he wont go out of his way to be unpleasant for the sake of it. ' _It’s just easier for everyone if I’m the one responsible for you; I’ve been doing that for two years already. Circumstances may have changed for you, but it's still the same job to me._ '
> 
> •He winds her up a little talking about an ex-boyfriend before prompting her to try again, and she asks about the weather, stating that the sound of the rain has been helping her sleep. Bogh tells her its backlash from Hurricane Ranveig.
> 
> •Her last questions, how much longer she's going to be held captive, and if they're going to let her go at all, he doesn't answer, instead asking if she wants her shower. Katie tries to protest. he tells her its not his decision. she pushes and he tells her that as long as Sendak gets what he wants from her father and they both do as they're told, a drop will be arranged. if he doesn't or the police interfere too much, then Sendak will kill her. He then repeats the question about the shower. stunned, Katie doesn't answer, and Bogh half drags her to the bathroom. After locking her in, he tells her not to ask questions she doesn't want to know the answers to.
> 
> •For the next few days, Katie is conflicted by Bogh's attitude, and her struggle to keep an accurate judge of him. The weather has got worse and during the storm she is woken in the midst of a nightmare by something crashing and breaking, and has a panic attack.
> 
> •Bogh appears, and attempts to calm her down, closely followed by Sendak; their conversation reveals the weather had blown in one of the window that had been boarded up, and for the time being, they decide to move her. Bogh hauls her over his shoulder, and before Sendak blindfolds her, Katie sees a glimpse of the streets beyond her prison.
> 
> •Katie recognises the media hub known as Teludav Tower almost immediately, and realises that she is still in Marchanda. Bogh moves her to a new location, where Macidus, another cult member checks over some very minor scratches from the glass breaking.
> 
> •He repeats her words, which stalls her for a moment, before she realises they aren't the first ones he has spoken to her, and as he patches her up, she resolves to find a way to pass a message to her family the next time she gets a chance


	9. I Waited for Fact

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING:** _THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS INCLUDING BLACKMAIL, BODILY HARM, AND TORTURE._
> 
> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

Katie’s first few hours in the building that had become her prison had been an uncomfortable mix of sleep, and the disorientation that came with being drugged, then blindfolded until the first terrifying call with Sendak and her parents, had been the worst of the kidnapping experience so far.

The night of the storm, when she had been moved into Bogh’s room, changed that.

Without her eyes, it was difficult to judge, but she was left in darkness for three days straight. She heard the others bustling around beyond the room, and suspected the door had been left open for them to keep a watch on her while repairs were presumably being made in her own room.

Only after the first day, when she heard the bang of hammers somewhere above her and mumbles of new board being needed, nothing happened. She remained in the same room as Bogh and Macidus, blind to everything going on around her. She wondered if it was just because Sendak didn't really care, or if it was an intimidation tactic, a way to try and make her forget anything he suspected that she may have seen before her eyes had been forced closed.

She didn't know for certain, and there wasn't much she could do except try to listen when the rest of the cultists were moving around and talking beyond the doorway. She could hear Lahn, the other man from the car, Bogh, Sendak, and Macidus, occasionally different voices, but those four were the ones that lingered, and were the ones that were identifiable to her.

She wasn’t sure how long they left her in the room; judging by how many times she’d heard Bogh snoring, she had a feeling it was three days. 

That judgement was iffy though. With everything dark, she fell asleep a lot between being fed and taken to use the toilet (the one in her room). She wasn’t sure if it was a good guess or not.

Besides all that, the most that happened were moderately routine things; Macidus kept a check on her scratches and her eye when Bogh came by with food, but she wasn’t given the chance to use the shower, or given anymore ‘ _breathing space_ ’, so her sleep came with a little relief from the captivity further worsened by the blindfold. 

When Bogh hauled her over his shoulder and tied her into the chair before the cameras, she was exhausted from doing nothing except trying to eavesdrop, and trying to work out how she could try to let her family know her suspicions regarding her location.

She doubted how good an idea that was; if Sendak overheard her, or realised a ruse if she used the one way that she had thought of to try and send a message over the video call, Katie knew he’d be furious. That scared her more than she would admit, and it made her hesitate to commit to the idea.

But she was tired. Not just in terms of lacking energy, but from the whole situation. Everything ached. She was emotionally raw from Bogh’s casual betrayal, the nightmares, her own fear. She didn't know how much longer she could tolerate all this without giving up. 

She had to try and keep her spirits up. Every time she tried it was a chance, and chance of escape, freedom, home.

Her words burned dark into her wrist, hidden beneath the sleeves of her jumpers and hoodies, and as the blindfold was pulled off, she tried to keep the tiny glimpse of a future she had yet to find they offered in mind as reassurance.

She had to keep trying, whenever she had the chance. She just didn't know if now was the right time to do that.

As the blindfold came off, she winced, her eyes adjusting to the dim light around them slowly after three days off darkness. Sendak and her father were talking already, sharing information, the progress on his blueprints and exchanging words back and forth, but one glance up at the terrorist beside her told her the conversation wasn’t a good one, and something heavy lined her insides as she started to catch the conversation.

‘ _...hat happened to her eye?_ ’ Her father demanded.

“A minor disagreement and the result of her own impudence,” Sendak snarled. “Please stay on topic Mr Holt, we’re discussing yours right now, are we not? I wonder if you understand the consequences of your poor performance still?” Sendak asked next to her. “I’m getting concerned with your approach to this Mr Holt; it's been a month now, and you haven't shown me anything but sketches and blueprints.”

Katie couldn’t see much more than a blurry shape where the screen sat on the desk, but she was sure her father’s face was on it; Sendak’s hand landed on her shoulder and she couldn’t help flinching at the touch.

She had thought his prissy attitude had been because of the police, but if he wasn’t getting what he wanted from her father, then things were worse than she had thought.

‘ _Of course I understand,_ ’ her father said—he was still blurry when she looked at the screen—his voice panicked and desperate. ‘ _But I can’t just make a prototype overnight! If I could, you’d have it already! The blueprints have to be functional first, and none of the 3D-Modelling has been successful yet._ ’ he said, his tone quick and hurried as she felt Sendak’s fingers cup her cheek. 

“I don’t know if your delays are deliberate, or worth the full merit of reinforcement, but I’m very certain that if it weren’t for your guard dog,” he spat the last two words glaring at the screen. “Things would be progressing much more efficiently,” he said, sounding like he was talking to himself.

‘ _They’re not deliberate! The police aren’t interfering, I swear! I won’t let that happen, not if it puts Katie in danger! I’m sorry, but what you’re asking is just difficult, even for me! I can’t do it in the timeframe you want! Please, I need more time!_ ’ her father pleaded.

“I think you’ve had more than enough time,” Sendak snarled; her eyes were adjusting, finally, and in Sendak’s hand Katie could make out the glow of another cigarette. Then he sighed in frustration. “Bogh? What do you think? Is Mr Holt being sincere?”

Turning her head to her other side, where Bogh stood leaning against the desk on which the set up was placed for the cameras and computer, Katie watched him, eyes wide as he shrugged.

“I think he is,” he said finally, and Katie felt her shoulders relax. “But that said, I know how fast he can work when he wants to, and even if the adaptation is difficult, and while it’s only fair to keep stress I’m sure he’s feeling in mind, I still wonder if he’s trying to draw things out a little.”

No. Bogh couldn't be serious, could he? She stared at him, eyes wide in dismay yet again as Sendak took a draw of his cigarette, then handed it over to her ex-bodyguard. 

“I’ll let you handle the rest then,” he said, before looking at the screen, handing Bogh his cigarette. “Enjoy your chat with Katie, Mr Holt,” he said, an irritated sneer on his lips. “I think we’ll discuss things once you are more receptive.”

With that, he turned and walked away from her chair, leaving Bogh to organise the timer as he had before, only with a dread lining in her guts as she watched the end of the cigarette. The glow of it pierced through the haze of her returning vision, and she stared at Bogh as he appraised her.

“What do you think Princess?” he asked her. 

‘ _Bogh! Please!_ ’ her father called out. ‘ _Don’t do this!_ ’ 

Katie furrowed her brow as she stared Bogh, trying to work out what he was asking her anything for. How was she supposed to respond to something that wasn’t a yes or no question anyway?

“It’s been three weeks and five days since the last call,” he reminded her, and she had a horrible feeling she knew what he meant. “Personally, I think twenty-six is overdoing it; so, let’s knock off the five, and divide twenty-one by three,” he calculated with a little finger counting. “That’s seven. That’s not so bad, is it?”

Seven…? He couldn’t mean…? _No!_ He couldn’t be _agreeing_ with Sendak! Just because he believed in this anti-Soulmark spiel didn’t mean he agreed with this, right? _He’d told her!_ He’d said he wouldn’t be unpleasant for the sake of it just _days_ ago! 

Stomach churning, she shook her head violently, protesting with muffled dismay.

“Yeah, I think that’s more reasonable too,” he said, putting the cigarette on the table and pushing her chair closer to the desk.

‘ _No! Bogh, please!_ ’ Her father shouted desperately. _‘I’m trying! I’m working as fast as I can, please!_ ’

She screamed trying to angle herself as far away from him as she could when he loosened the rope holding her upright and pushed her face against the desk, pleading as much as the gag would let her with him to stop as he cut open the back of her white and black striped jumper, the beige t-shirt beneath it and the back of her sports bra with his pocket knife.

He held her down with one hand on her neck, exposing her back, cutting a couple of the ropes around her upper arms. Her wrists were still fastened and she couldn't angle them to try and push him away. Tears welled up as she watched him pick up the cigarette, the glowing orb of burning paper and tobacco disappearing from her view.

‘ _Please! It’s not her fault!_ ’ her dad begged again. ‘ _Bogh, Please! Let her go!_ ’

Knowing what was coming, Katie braced herself, screwing her eyes shut and stiffening in wait as Bogh held her against the desk before the camera, the seconds passing agonisingly slowly, wondering if maybe Bogh had changed his mind last minute.

“Sorry Mr Holt, but Sendak said to handle this, so I’m handling it,” he said, and she screamed, the skin between her shoulder blades shrivelling and contracting and writhing as the embers seethed into it. “You ought to keep pace with him a bit more than try make us meet your schedule,” he said, pushing it into her skin again. “Before he really gets upset with the delay—oh come on, really?”

‘ _Stop! Let go of her! Stop! Stop! Stop!_ ’

She heard the snap of a lighter, and then did her best to bear through the five other impressions down her spine that followed the first two; for once she was glad for the gag. It meant her dad didn’t have to hear just how loud she was screaming from the pain as the end of the stub was ground into each welt by her former bodyguard. 

‘ _Katie!_ ’

Once it was all over, shaking from the sensations and shock, face wet with angry, infuriated tears, Bogh pulled her back up, wiping beneath her eyes. “All done Princess,” he said far too calmly and cheerfully for comfort. “I’m going to take this off, start the timer, okay?” he said, patting her cheek where the microfoam covered the bottom half of her face.

She glared at him as he cut through it with a pair of scissors. “Hey, what’s that look for?” He asked, catching the glare with an injured tone in his voice as he pulled the tape off her mouth.

Katie coughed and sputtered as she spat the rag out between the chokes still stuck in her throat. “You said…” she rasped, her voice hoarse from screaming again, still crying from anger and hurt, spitting the words at him as he pulled the strips off her face. “…you said you wouldn’t...” she sobbed.

“Hey, I just do what I’m told,” he said, pulling the tape gently away from her hair. “I also said you were a means to an end, and that’s just as true; I’m not _that_ sentimental.” he said bluntly. “I’m starting the timer, and going to get the doc to patch you up.”

With that he turned and disappeared where she couldn't see him somewhere behind her. Still seething, she slumped against the rope holding her up, kicking the table in frustration, angry expletives dripping from her tongue as she tried to calm herself down.

She only had so much time to talk to them. She had to get herself under control. She couldn't let her mum see her like this. 

Bad enough her dad had to watch this, she didn’t want to see her mother or Matt until she was at least breathing like a normal person again, not sit here crying her eyes out because Bogh had just proved he was as trustworthy as he had been the moment he first stuck that needle in her neck. 

She didn’t want them to see her angry at herself because the naïve corner of her mind still in shock from that betrayal thought that he might be the one person here that she could rely on for a semblance of kindness.

‘ _Katie, Katie honey, look at me, please,_ ’ her dad called out. ‘ _Just focus on my voice, okay?_ ’

“D-Don’t let mum come in yet,” she coughed out. “Promise,” she pleaded. She could hear the door closing behind her somewhere. She ignored it, her head on the desk where Bogh had left her, taking deep breaths as evenly she could.

‘ _I won’t,_ ’ her dad assured her. He sounded sniffly, and the anger churning in her grew; this mess was so twisted and disgusting it made her feel sick. This wasn’t fair! ‘ _The Detective will let her and Matt through whenever you’re ready,_ ’ he said encouragingly. ‘ _Try listen to my voice, okay sweetheart?_ ’

Katie nodded against the wood, not willing to lift her head up yet. “C-Can you tell me?” She asked, voice still shaky. “About the blueprint designs?” 

Her father did just that, recognising the need for distraction, something else to focus on besides the pain and panic. She couldn’t have another panic attack. Not now. She had to get it together, and focus. She wanted to talk to her parents and she _needed_ to talk to her brother.

When she had been trying to think of some discreet way to talk to them even whilst Bogh eavesdropped, Katie had decided her best bet was her brother, and their shared intimate knowledge of Kill-Bot Phantasm chronology and in-game linguistics. 

If she could talk to him in a seemingly natural way, she might be able to get some of their old code words in from when they used to play online in duos, and didn’t want the other team to overhear their attack plans.

Not even their parents knew. She’d never told Bogh about it either; he hated KBP anyway, and she doubted anyone here would have enough knowledge of a video game franchise to know she was doing anything other than talking about the gameplay itself. 

Even if they did know it, that was all it would sound like anyway. She and Matt had deliberately made the code analogous to things that already existed in the gameplay to confuse the other players on an open-microphone.

She just had to hope Matt understood, and could find a way to let the police know, hope that by fate’s mercies, he knew what she was trying to tell him. 

Inhaling as the door closed somewhere behind her, and a set of light footsteps start heading towards her, she took a breath, sitting up a little bit when Macidus slowly put a hand on her shoulder, warning her he was there. 

“I’m going to start cleaning these,” he told her calmly, like she might object.

‘ _Who are you?_ ’ Her father asked, wary and angry. ‘ _Haven’t you people hurt her enough? Get your hands off her!_ ’

“I-It’s okay Dad,” she said, finally getting her voice back. “He’s not hurting me, I’m… I’m okay,” she forced the words out on a breath.

It was one of the biggest lies of her life. She was not okay. Not by a long shot. But she wasn’t dead, or suffering another of Sendak’s previous threats. For now, that was good enough. 

Looking for a moment to the man waiting expectantly for a response, Katie nodded, the inherent warning not to try anything obvious, and she remained compliant as she felt the ropes slackening.

The ones that pulled her fists up against her back loosened, letting them fall behind her first, and that alone was a blissful relief, helped calm her nerves. The loosening of the ropes around her upper arms helped too, even if her wrists were still tied behind her,

“Can you get Mum and Matt now?” She asked, looking up at the screen properly. Her dad’s beard was dotted and shiny where the tear tracks had streamed into it, and he was white as a sheet. She didn’t know if it was just what Bogh had done or stress but he looked like he’d aged ten years since she’d last seen him. “Please? Before he cuts us off?”

He started, and gave her a forced smile, nodding. Behind him the dark-haired man who’d argued with Sendak the last video passed briefly behind the screen, and she heard the echo of a door opening before she heard her mother’s voice.

‘ _Sam! Sam what’s going on? I heard you shouti-_ ’ Katie tried not to wince as her mother's face paled on sight of her. ‘ _Fates, Katie! Your eye! You…_ ’ she stopped again, easily something else was wrong. ‘ _…Katie, your clothes have-_ ’ a choked sound entered her voice; was there blood in her torn up jumper? Probably. Maybe she shouldn't have asked her dad to call her mum in, but she wanted to see her too, even if she couldn’t pass her video-game blind mother coded messages. ‘ _W_ - _What’s happened?_ ’

“I… may have been a bit too snarky to Sendak a few days back. Maybe last week?” Katie said quickly. “I’m not sure when, Romelle and Matt’s anniversary, whenever it was, but it’s okay, it’s getting better now,” she said, watching her brother edge onto the screen, his face morphing with the same horror as her mother had. “I… I know things look bad, but can dad tell you after?” Macidus unpacked a green bag full of plasters and bandages beside her. It looked like he had a bowl of water too. “I just want to talk to you all right now,” She added, hopeful tone in her voice. “Please mum?”

“I’m going to start cleaning these,” Macidus said quietly, touching a light hand on her shoulder again, strips of white hair and his expressionless angular face catching her attention for a moment. “It’ll sting.”

“Okay,” she said, before looking back to her family, allowing herself to stiffen as a wet cloth pressed carefully against the cigarette burns lined straight down her back.

The burns seared again, but she gritted her teeth this time, and when she really focused, could ignore the pain in favour of the resolve the new injuries that had called up alongside the pain and frustration.

Her mother took a breath of her own, watching, making her own assumptions until she could ask her father later, when time wasn’t such a precious commodity. ‘ _Of course we can,_ ’ she said, sitting down beside her dad. ‘ _We can talk about whatever you want sweetheart._ ’ 

She looked a bit pale, but her voice was steady, and the promise in her words was all the reassurance Katie needed. 

Last time, her parents and brother had begged her to play it safe but she couldn’t do that anymore. This was a risk, but if the new burns on her back meant anything, then it was that she was on a much shorter fuse than she or her dad had realised already. 

The indistinct passage of time had pulled her into a false sense of security. Made her relaxed and complacent before she even knew how long she had been gone from her own life.

“Anything,” she begged; it was easy as it had been to ask Bogh questions before to try and guide the conversation, because she did crave outside entertainment. Something beyond the bubble she was stuck in. “Video games, the last board meeting? Mum’s lab? What about Romelle? And grandma and granddad? Are they okay?” She asked. 

She could do this. She could make it home. She would make it out of this; she was already in the same city. She just had to help her parents and the police find her. She might not be able to run, but she had other ways to help them, help herself.

She couldn’t sit around and hope fate would get her out of this mess anymore; she had to make it happen herself. She had to _try_ ; she knew that if she spent any more time stuck here without trying something, she really would give up on herself, and that was something she refused to do. 

“Honestly, you could make something up and that would still be great,” she said wearily. “I’m getting bored out of my mind.”

* * *

I thought it was time to up the ante again. 

~~ Bogh is still a terrorist btw  ~~

~~ and I still love him  ~~

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Katie passes three more days very dimly; she isn't moved from the room she was taken to after the storm, and she is left blindfolded except for when she is taken to use the bathroom attached to her own room. She isn't given the time to shower or any ' _breathing space_ '.
> 
> -She tries. to stay aware of what is going on around her, work out from the voices. how many people are around, but the uncertain passage of time and conditions are wearying, but she knows that if she wants to send her family a message she needs to learn as much as she can.
> 
> -Katie is still unsure about trying to pass along information to Matt, as the thought of Sendak's ire is enough to make her hesitate. 
> 
> -After the three days pass, Bogh moved her to a chair, and the call with her father begins.
> 
> -Bogh takes the blindfold off her and it stings her eyes. Sendak is already talking to her father. He is smoking, and puts a hand on on her shoulder as they talk; Katie learns that his bad mood has been because her father is having problems with the blueprints. 
> 
> -Sendak finally states despite Sam's pleas that he's had ' _more than enough time_ ' and asks Bogh if thinks Sam is being sincere.
> 
> -Bogh says yes, but adds that aside form the hold up s pressure and worry is probably giving him, he thinks he can do better when he wants to, and suggest he's trying to stall.
> 
> -Sendak has a puff, hands the cigarette to bogh, telling him to handle the rest, and advising sam to enjoy their chat.
> 
> -Bogh asks her what she thinks, and Katie is confused, wary of the cigarette above the sound of her father's protests; he isn't expecting an answer as she's still gagged, and she is uneasy about what's happening.
> 
> -Bogh reminds her how long she has been held hostage. Katies unease turned into a horrible feeling that she knows what he's talking about. He tells her it has been three weeks and five days since they last spoke with her father, but ' _Personally, I think twenty-six is overdoing it; so, let’s knock off the five, and divide twenty-one by three. That’s seven. That’s not so bad, is it?_ '
> 
> -Katie is dismayed, still hoping that Bogh doesn't really buy into whatever propaganda Sendak has filled his head with, and the memory that he'd told her he wouldn't hurt her for the sake of it a few days previously, and tries to protest.
> 
> -Bogh ignores them, and pushes her chair closer to the desk, and hold her face down against it by the neck. He cuts the ropes around her upper arms, but she still cant angle her wrists to try and push him away, and he cuts open the back of her clothes.
> 
> -As he picks up the cigarette he answers his own question, ' _I think that's more reasonable too._ ' A few moments pass, and at first she thinks her fathers' ongoing pleas have worked, or Bogh was bluffing, or has changed his mind.
> 
> -Bogh apologises, and says ' _Sendak said to handle it, so I'm handling it_ ', then when she's more off guard, before grinding the end of the cigarette into her back seven times just as he said, starting from between her shoulder blades and going down her spine.
> 
> -When its over––' _all done Princess_ '––he removes the gag. Still shaken and crying, Katie tries to confront her and he claims he just does as he's told, and he's not that sentimental. The timer starts, and he says he's going to get the doc to patch her up.
> 
> -When Bogh is gone, she kicks the table in frustration and hurt, trying to calm down, and begs her father not to let her mother or brother in just yet. she asks him about the neutraliser designs, and eventual calms down as Macidus arrives.
> 
> -Macidus patches her up, and her mum and Matt come in. They want to ask about her injuries, what happened, her black eye, but she begs them to just talk for a while. They agree, and following a renewed determination to escape, Katie decides to try and pass a message on.
> 
> -She believes that even if her words _do_ promise rescue, she can't just sit and wait for it to happen; she has to make it happen, and refuses to give up on herself. she might not be able to run, but there are other ways she can help her parents and the police. It's a risk, but one she decides is worth it.


	10. Fully Knowing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

The call went well—the burns not included—and for a moment, when after she had been talking computer game jargon to him Matt had disappeared for a while, Katie had been hopeful.

Her brother had got her message. She’d panicked when bogh gagged and blindfolded her again, but Sendak kept her around while he talked to her dad, until she heard the bright ping of a phone message.

“Bogh, go get the sedatives.”

Then everything went wrong.

‘ _What? No, please! Don’t hurt her!_ ’

“I’m really quite impressed, Mr Hawkins. I’m not sure how you found our location, yet, but your team has been a problematic existence for some time. I can’t say I didn’t expect some progress from you, so I’m prepared for eventualities like this.”

The needle was hard and painful as it sunk into Katie’s skin, and the drug stung as it was pushed into her bloodstream. She screamed, trying to pull her face away from Sendak's grip, trying to lean away from the needle, but it was too late. She already felt like she was sinking. 

‘ _No! Katie!_ ’

It felt like every single one of her senses was being coated in a layer that separated her from everything else around her, suffocating them from her use; she could feel her body giving out as she continued to struggle, her mind drifting, her strength leaving her as the drug swept through her. 

Katie didn't know what happened after that. Not clearly. She got flashes of light, dim sensations of being carried, somewhere dark and moving, maybe to the boot of another car, but it was mostly… nothing. 

It was as though she’d taken a nap that turned into a full-on sleep; just as jarring and disorientating, but not nearly as pleasant. Even when she woke up, it took a while to work out what was going on around her. Nothing was familiar, and she had forgotten what had happened to her. 

It was like the first day of realisation and terror swooped down on her all over again. She felt sick, nausea churning through her, and her head pounded with the thump of a migraine that made her heartbeat sound like a hammer against her skull. 

On top of that, she felt the pain. The ache in her arms and legs, and the stinging, deeper pain in her back, her neck. Everything felt hazy as she came around, trying to work out what was wrong. It was dark. 

Why couldn’t she see anything? She felt weak, she couldn’t move. Something was wrapped around her arms and legs, tight. It was pressing something stuck down her shirt painfully into her chest too. Why couldn’t she move? 

“There you are, Princess,” someone said, their voice close. 

She felt someone's hands on her face and tried to ask what was going on, finding her mouth stuck. For a moment, the fresh terror swarmed her, then the blindfold was pulled away from her eyes. 

“Sorry about the wakeup call,” they said. “But you need to eat, and Sendak wanted me to ask you a little something.”

In the dim light, she recognised Bogh’s face. Her situation rushed back to her and she felt her chest tighten— _she screamed, the skin between her shoulder blades shrivelling and contracting and writhing as the embers seethed into it_ —as a dim and foggy memory of his hand grinding the end of a cigarette into her back, multiple times, returned to her.

Her voice weak as she protested, fear coiled through her chest and throat at the sight of him and Katie shrunk back as his hands reached for the gag. She’d rather be left unable to speak than have to say anything to him. Hazed and lethargic as she was, she still felt the sting of fresh betrayal when she looked at him.

She hadn’t really trusted Bogh anymore, but she hadn’t expected him to hurt her the way Sendak had, worse even. Well, maybe not, but his role had hurt more, and after seeing how easy it had been for him, she was sure it would happen again the second she let herself be so foolish as to think he had any compassion, or that the faintest trace of empathy from their once-friendly relationship remained.

Her eyes began to sting just looking at him, and Both sighed as she shuffled away from him. “I know, I know,” he said, taking hold of her shoulders, the ropes on her arms. “You don't like me anymore,” he guessed, pulling her towards him, across the flat of a mattress. 

It wasn’t the same one as before, judging by the covers. The ceiling above her was different too—metal beams and wooden boards instead of the plain office plasterboard from before.

Bogh rolled her onto her back—the burns seared and stung from the pressure on them—and started cutting through her gag with his pocket knife. “I really am sorry I had to do that,” he said, the tone quiet, more reserved than she usually heard from him, almost hesitant. “But we have to be consistent with your father—” he added, the brief moment of something softer in his voice was replaced by the same old business only tone. “—and he was slacking; that’s why you’re _here_ Katie. You’re a means to an end,” he said, pausing as he fished she rag from her mouth. “That’s all. It wasn’t anything personal.”

“Not to you,” she croaked out, her voice gasping as her throat croaked. It felt thick, sore and sort of swollen. She was dimly aware that she was crying, but only noticed because she felt one strain dribbling over the bridge of her nose as she shuffled onto her side. “... you were supposed to stop this,” she choked. “Not cause it.”

Bogh only watched her, before huffing again, offering no comment as he got to his feet and wandered off. Realising she wasn't getting any response, Katie cast her eyes around the dim surroundings. It was darker, not as streamlined as the room she had been in before, but she couldn’t look around too closely.

Her head was spinning. It was kind of hard to make anything out, and she kind of just wanted to sleep again, but she felt like she hadn’t drunk anything in days. How much time had passed since she had been drugged? She couldn't focus, she couldn't even look at her surroundings too long before dizziness swept over her again.

She did however see the figure following behind Bogh as he returned.

“All you have to do is answer some questions, then you can have some water and go back to sleep—” her pulse quickened and she choked in fear as Sendak’s eyes raked her over as Bogh bent down in front of her. “—just normal sleep, I promise, no drugs. We’re far enough from Marchanda now that you don’t need them,” her former bodyguard smiled, ruffling her hair a little, rubbing in the despair starting to crawl over her skin. “How about it? Just a little chat, then you can rest up.”

Blindly she nodded. She was tired. How could she be tired when she’d been unconscious for fate only knew how long? She wanted to go home. She was scared and tired, and she couldn't take having to judge her chances of survival from day to day anymore. 

If agreeing made things easier, why should she try to fight against it? They’d hurt her either way if they wanted to, and she had been given nothing but constant reminders that she couldn't stop that from happening.

“Good girl,” he said. “It’s only one question, but you have to tell me the truth; understand?” he checked, lifting her chin up a little. “I know you. I’ll Know if you're lying Katie. So tell the truth, okay?”

Sendak’s eyes seemed to loom over her in the dim light, and she nodded again. She just wanted this to be over. Maybe it was because of how terrible she felt, or how hazy she felt. She felt as though she was swimming instead of lying prone, but she didn't have the energy to argue, contest or protest whatever Bogh wanted from her. She didn’t want Sendak to be mad. She didn’t want to get hurt again. 

“When you spoke to your parents and brother,” Bogh started. “Did you tell them how to find us?”

Her parents. Her brother. That was right she had been talking to them. She’d talked to Matt about video games. Had she told them something? She couldn't remember the day well at all. It was like the day Bogh had kidnapped her. 

She remembered when she had been blindfolded again during the call, listening to her dad talk to Sendak, but it got hazy after that. And the preceding events weren’t clear either.

She had spoken to Matt though. But she didn't think she would have told him she was in Marchanda. That didn't sound right. She wasn’t so stupid as to risk something so open like that. 

No, she couldn’t have told him anything.

“Someone would hear,” she mumbled, uncertain of whether she was saying something she ought to or not. “Macidus was there.” she tried explaining. “I—I just wanted to talk to them. I miss them. I want to go home...”

“I know you do,” Bogh said sympathetically, sounding genuine. It wasn’t. He couldn't be. But it made her feel a bit better anyway. Not much, but she appreciated the falseness. “But you knew where you were?” he checked. 

Katie shook her head. “I saw Teludav Tower, but...” she mumbled, screwing her face trying to remember the violent night she’d glimpsed something through the window. “It was dark, and... I was scared. It was hard to breathe. My head hurt.”

“During the storm?” he clarified. “When the glass scratched you and you had that scare, huh?”

She nodded. Bogh sucked in a breath, looking over his shoulder at Sendak. “And you really didn't tell anyone?” he checked again.

Katie shook her head, she hadn’t told anyone specifically. She didn’t think she could say that outright, so she just tried to avoid answering directly. She didn’t want to make Bogh or Sendak angry by not answering, but she knew that if they found out, she’d be in a lot of trouble.

“I was scared,” she said instead. She felt like she was always scared now. It got pushed to the back of her mind, because she had to judge everything beyond face value, just to avoid the things that kept her awake and made her feel like she was coated in something she couldn’t shake off, but fear lingered in the corners, never far away from her. “I want to go home.”

Bogh let out a breath. “Alright,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulders and helping her to sit up. “That’s all we needed to check. You did good Princess,” he said. “Here, drink some of this.”

A bottle of water was brought up to her lips, and she took small sips, taking as many mouthfuls of the cool liquid as she could, letting it wash through her. She was thirsty. Very thirsty. How long had it been since she last drank anything? When she broke off from the drink, she was much happier to see Sendak was gone.

“Porridge?” Bogh asked. 

She quaked, dimly remembering what had happened the last time she had been drugged and tried to eat something, and shook her head, ignoring the swaying that came with it each time as best she could. He held up the bottle again with an encouraging shake, and she took a few more sips.

He hardly touched her, just holding her shoulders and the back of her head as she sipped at the water he held in his other hand. Her hands were still in front of her, back to back, but she could still nudge the bottom of the water bottle of her own accord a little as she drank.

She took as much as she could, slowly, before the dizziness got too much, and she slumped against the supporting arm around the top of her shoulders, avoiding any aggravating of the burns that trailed down her spin, in intervals from between her shoulder blades.

Bogh set her back down and she rolled onto her side, trying to look around at the room again. She could see a doorway, open, but not much else in the dark yet. 

He didn’t shove the rag back in her mouth, but he did fasten her mouth up with tape again. Then she noticed that a small bottle had appeared in his hand, and a needle, and she cried out in weak protest as the tip stung the top of her arm.

“Sorry Princess, I know, I lied again,” Bogh told her, pulling one of the blankets up, frowning a little as he arranged it around her shoulders. She could feel herself crying again, shrugging away from him when he brushed over the site of the needle with his thumb, before getting to his feet. “But Sendak doesn’t want you awake just yet.”

Curling up into the fleece he’d thrown up over her, dismal as she felt black spots start in front of her eyes, Katie did her best to cling onto the waking world, trying not to forget everything again. 

The conversation was already fading as the drug started to remove what little awareness she still had, and as things started going a little darker she listened as Bogh walked off to the other side of the room. 

“Well?” She heard Sendak ask as Bogh reached the doorway.

“I’m not sure,” Bogh said, his voice starting to fade as he closed the door behind him. 

“I thought you said you’d be able to tell if she was lying?”

“It’s kind of hard to judge when she doesn't really know what she’s saying, or understand the questions,” Bogh retorted. “She’s just answering them to stop us turning on her again,” he muttered. “Not to mention scared shitless,” he added. “I _told_ you she wouldn’t trust me anymore after that stunt you pulled during the call!”

“She’s not here for fun Bogh, she needs to get that through her head, and so do you,” Sendak sighed dimly. “I know it’s hard; no-one else was undercover as deeply, and she probably reminds you of your own kids, but you need to remember what—”

“Don't talk about my kids! I’ve told you that before!” Bogh snapped back. “I know, okay? If you’d stop breathing down my neck about it, that’d help. Don’t tell me to do something like that again Sendak. I told you I wouldn’t be a part of it!”

“Alright, I’m sorry. ” Sendak said, like he was talking to a friend. “It’ll be worth it in the end. Just focus on that. This is the hard part, but once he gives us those plans, we can be done with her, and this whole fiasco...”

The door closed with a click behind her, the lock twisting, and with their full departure Katie slumped, the drug in her system making her feel as though she was swimming. She couldn't fall asleep yet.

She couldn't. She had to fight it off as long as she could, and in a bid to do so tried to twist her hands around. Something was digging into her chest. If she focused on it, it might help. Maybe.

It took a bit manoeuvring and a little stretching that she had to bite her lip through, but she managed to stuff one of her hands between the ropes, down her shirt and the top of her sports bra.

Tissue? No, something wrapped up in toilet paper. 

Slumping from the effort, she tried to remember through the fog, and remembered the screw from the bathroom she’d been hiding there; looking at her striped bloodstained jumper, she realised no-one had changed her clothes while she had been out. They hadn’t noticed it. That was good.

Katie stopped her shuffling, leaving it where it was but for a slight adjustment so it didn’t dig into her where her arms pressed against her chest. She was too exhausted to think much, but she knew not to draw attention to it.

The drug was, to her dismay, starting to take her over again, and she had to give up any hopes of thinking and observing her new situation and surroundings, given no choice in the matter as the haze and sedate realm of anonymity made everything go dark once again.

* * *

After that, it took about the same amount of time to come around from the drugs as it had the first time, and Katie felt just as groggy, hazy, and achy when she finally did blink awake to unfamiliar surroundings.

Someone had left her tied up like she had been during the call, her arms in front of her, and she suspected someone had been worried about her choking because she’d just been gagged with tape wrapped around her mouth. 

The absence of the rag was utter bliss, and she feigned sleep as long as she could just to take advantage of the easier breath. She also took the time to try and remember what had happened, and examine her new surroundings.

Like before she had been left on a mattress in a room all of its own, but this one was remarkably different to the last. The room didn’t have the black knobbled foam on the walls like the last one did. She could see the corrugated metal of the walls

There were no windows on the walls on her level, but if she looked up from where she was laid, she could see a crane, through some in the ceiling, and higher ones on some upper rusted gantries hanging above the hard mesh ceiling 

As her vision became less and less woozy, she realised they were shipping containers. Towers of them filling most of her view through the large, high, industrial windows.

As for the rest of the room it was larger than her previous one. The metal roof supports above her were rusted and old, and the door was wooden, firmly closed, and the whole room smelled of dust and salt.

As she came around, Katie did her best to try and remember what had happened before she had been drugged. 

Her head felt foggier than it had the first time she woke up from it, and she felt like she hadn’t drunk anything in days. When had they got here? Had they drugged her more this time? It would explain why she still felt so detached, so thirsty.

But why? Was Sendak so worried about her going somewhere? It was all she could think of for a while before she remembered why they had moved in the first place. She dimly remembered him talking to a detective over the call. She’d heard his name. Mr Hawkins he’d called him.

He was worried about being caught. Easier to keep her drugged for a while so she couldn't cause problems, however limited, and Sendak clearly wasn't worried about giving her too much of the drug. He’d hardly batted an eyelid when Bogh had told him that during her initial kidnap that he’d drugged her a second time (without even knowing if it was safe or not) too.

‘ _What do you think Princess?_ ’

Her stomach churned as fleeted memories of Bogh’s casual manner before he sunk the cigarette into her back returned, and she shivered. Someone had thrown a blanket over her, but the back of her shirt and jumper was still tattered and open and she could feel the draughts in the room crawling down it with the memory.

‘ _Personally, I think twenty-six is overdoing it; so, let’s knock off the five, and divide twenty-one by three, that’s seven. That’s not so bad, is it? Yeah, I think that’s more reasonable too._ ’ 

She didn’t remember the sensation anymore, but she remembered it being more painful than anything else she’d experienced in her life. Worse than the time she broke her leg chasing Matt around the garden when he was teasing her about... something she couldn’t even remember anymore.

She remembered being furious, humiliated, and hurt. 

It had been hard to look at Bogh with any real trust for weeks already, but she had tried, if only to make her situation less unpleasant, and she’d believed him when he told her he had no personal desire to cause her harm. 

He’d burned a trail of circular angry burns down her spine anyway. He’d also told her she was a means to an end, and in the hopes of having someone she could moderately trust in this hellhole, she’d ignored that. She really had thought he still had a semblance of care left, and she had been horribly, horribly wrong.

Bogh arrived not long after she woke up, and she took some water from the sports bottle he held up, but she shuffled back and turned her back to him when he tried to offer her food—a sandwich her stomach protested to her for turning away, but she couldn't face eating if it meant she had to let Bogh feed her.

She couldn't look at him without feeling sick, without shaking, without feeling the same cringe and aversion she did from Sendak; he scared her. Whatever lingering sense of reliability and safety, comparatively, she’d been getting from him was gone (that and she probably felt sick from the drug working out of her system).

She didn’t really feel good enough to ask questions or offer any protest yet, so she just did her best to ignore him when he shoved the rag back in her mouth and wound the microfoam back in place once she was done drinking. Apparently, he was satisfied she was alive enough to manage a somewhat-hindered ability to breathe without any more concern.

When he was gone Katie tried to think about better things, things which pushed away the shake that Bogh’s brief appearance had set up in her. She knew she needed to figure out how much time had passed, more about where she was, but she couldn't face it yet.

She thought about the call again, her father’s protests screaming through the speakers until once Bogh had left to go find Macidus, and she’d been so shaken she didn’t know what to do or feel from the torture, she’d asked him to tell her about his blue print designs.

She couldn't remember those either, not clearly. It was like having a mild hangover. She knew what she had done, and what she had said, but didn't really remember doing it. She remembered talking about them enough that something ought to bother her about it (and not because her father really was building a device that would only ever serve function through mass murder) but she couldn’t place it yet.

Not exactly, her head was still too foggy, and her back stung and ached enough that it was really the only thing that cut through her haze besides periods of unsettled sleep.

She awoke from them quickly, usually without any warning, still feeling like Bogh was looming down over her with the cigarette, only instead of stopping at seven, he kept going. She could still feel his hand on her neck, bending her face first onto the desk, and when he came through to check on her, it just made things even worse.

Eventually, he managed to calm her down, but the next day she noticed that Macidus was the one who came into the room with the microwave porridge and water. Unsure of how to deal with him she refrained from trying to talk to him. 

She was wary of the people she didn't know. Macidus and Lahn hadn’t really been around her much, but she needed to be wary. Macidus might have treated her burns, but he was also likely the source of the drug that had been leaving her knocked for six, so she was immediately leery of him. 

Lahn also fed her a couple of times and the less said about him the better. He had never _harmed_ her, but he wasn't Bogh either, and the way he sneered wasn't exactly pleasant. She got the impression that between him and Macidus, Macidus was the better option.

The next day, when Bogh returned to the job of watching her by bringing in her lunch, she felt a vague semblance of normality as he made his bad jokes and held a sandwich out for her to eat.

She didn't want to see Bogh—she felt sick thinking about him—but she at least felt like he was familiar. She knew how better now to gauge his mood, and while she still felt sick and shaky from the drugs, she had a better chance of getting him to talk to her than anyone else.

“H-How long was I asleep?” she asked between sips of water from the water bottle he let her grab onto and sip from. She avoided looking at him directly. If she did that, she could get the words out, ask the things she needed to.

“Four days,” Bogh said; he didn't seem too hesitant in sharing the information, and while he was hesitant, he wasn't making too many jokes, or rushing her like he sometimes did. “Sendak wanted to be sure we hadn’t been followed before deciding to settle again.

He claimed she had been out for four days, and it had been two days since she had woken up now. That meant six days had passed since the call, which had been one month at best guess since she had been kidnapped. So now she was probably a few days into month two.

That didn't fill her with any joy, but it was something to keep her brain active with at least. As long as she had something to focus on besides her situation (preferably anything to get her out of it, but she’d take what was available), she could keep herself from getting too focused on what was happening to her. 

As long as she told herself that it was just one more day, that the next day the police would find her, she would manage a little longer.

* * *

Back to Katie's POV after a detour with Keith's. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TL;DR**
> 
> •At the start of the call, Katie is hopeful after the burns from Bogh, as it appears that Matt has received her message about her location, and Sendak seemed happy enough to keep her around as he spoke to her father. She is blindfolded and gagged again, but can hear what is going on, and so far, nothing to suggest her ruse had been spotted has been shown.
> 
> •Things go wrong when she hears a phone message ping, and Sendak tells Bogh to find the sedatives. Katie tries to lean away from the needle, and can hear her dad shouting, but the drug kicks in quickly and she falls unconscious.
> 
> •Following the moment she is drugged again, Katie gets dim flashes environment, flashes of light and the feeling of bing move, somewhere that is moving her, and she peripherally think's she's in the boot of another car, but most of the time passes without her comprehension.
> 
> •Upon waking, she is disorientated and confused, as the room has changed, and for a moment she has forgotten what has happened to her completely. Her head hurts, and she feel sick. She cant see, and her back hurts. she can't move and her arms and legs ache, and realises they are ties, her arms fastened in front of her, but crossed back to back at the wrist so she cant try to grab anything easily.
> 
> •Bogh talks her out of the haze a little, and after he removes the blindfold, she remembers what's going on, and what he did to her. Katie tries to lean away from him, hurt and even more confused than before.
> 
> •Bogh just pulls her across the mattress, starting to remove the gag— _I know, I know; you don't like me anymore. I really am sorry I had to do that, but we have to be consistent with your father and he was slacking; that’s why you’re here Katie. You’re a means to an end, that’s all. It wasn’t anything personal._ '
> 
> •Katie's only protest is that it might not have been personal to him, but reminds him that he was supposed to stop this situation from happening, not cause it int he first place. He wanders off, and she tries to look around at her new room, but is still hazy and lethargic from being drugged, and dizziness makes it hard to work out.
> 
> •Bogh returns with Sendak, and tells her she can have some water after she answers some questions, then she can rest, no drugs involved―' _We’re far enough from Marchanda now that you don’t need them; how about it? Just a little chat, then you can rest up._ '
> 
> •She dimly agrees, wanting to be left alone. Bog tells her its just one question but he'll know if she lies, reminds her he knows her tells, and prompts her to be honest. He asks if she told her parents or brother how to find them. Katie can only recall hazy details. She doesn't think she would have told matt she was in marchanda―it sounds too risky.
> 
> +' _Someone would hear. Macidus was there. I—I just wanted to talk to them. I miss them. I want to go home..._ '
> 
> +' _I know you do. You knew where you were?_ ' 
> 
> +' _I saw Teludav Tower, but... It was dark, and... I was scared. It was hard to breathe. My head hurt._ '
> 
> +' _During the storm when the glass scratched you and you had that scare, huh? You really didn't tell anyone?'_
> 
> _+' _I was scared; I want to go home._ '_
> 
> _•Bogh is satisfied, and lets her drink some water, and offers her some food. He gags her again (without the rag) but apologises for lying again as she protests when he injects her with more sedative―' _Sorry Princess, I know, I lied again, but Sendak doesn’t want you awake just yet._ '_
> 
> _•As she falls asleep, she overhears bogh and Sendak talking; they argue, but Sendak settles the issues, and as she falls asleep, Katie feels something stuck under her sports bra, digging in through tissue paper before falling unconscious again._
> 
> _•Upon waking, Katie is groggy and gets a better look at her environment; she can see a crane and shipping containers through a window ant there are ceiling gantries above her head. she can smell salt and dust._
> 
> _•She tries to remember as much as she can of the past few days, and while the conversation with her dad returns, she still needs time to collect herself again. After a nightmare about bogh, Macidus and Lahn take over from him for a few days. Macidus is meh. She is very wary of Lahn enough to feel a semblance of normality when Bogh returns._
> 
> _•He tells she was been asleep for four days. Two days having woken up makes it nearly a week since Sendak called her father. Katie is unnerved by this, but tries to stay hopeful that the police will find her soon._


	11. As A Warning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains uncomfortable Psychological elements. Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

Once Katie was done eating, Bogh mentioned a wash, and after she nodded he pulled a blindfold around her eyes for the presumed journey to wherever the new shower was. 

He at least didn’t pull it too tight like Sendak did, but it was firm enough. She didn’t get the chance to try and shift her head to push it off as he hoisted her over his shoulder, but she tracked every turn and change of direction as best she could.

His footsteps echoed loudly on the floor―it sounded like a wood one―until he set her down on what felt like a cold tiled floor against a similar-textured wall. He pulled the blindfold off; she found herself in a small bathroom again, only there didn't look to be any washing facilities. Just a toilet and sink with one of those small industrial electric water tanks above it that only heated water while it was full, then ran cold until it filled up again.

It was definitely old, as there were chunks of missing grout between the bland white tiles, but it was clean. There was a bucket on the floor by the sink, and towels inside it.

“Sorry, bit of a downgrade,” Bogh said as she eyed it with mild trepidation. “But you need to wash if you don't want those burns to get infected.”

Katie flinched, glowering at him. “And who do I thank for that?” she muttered.

“Your father,” Bogh said, without any hesitation. “He was warned what would happen to you if he didn’t keep up. You’d think after being so worried about your words for five years he’d be more motivated, but Sendak thought he needed a push. It’s still up to you to if you want to clean up or not,” Bogh shrugged, his tone firm again, crouching down to untie her. “Knock once you're done.”

Once the ropes were off of her, he made a quick beeline to the door, which Katie threw a bottle of shampoo from the hold all at, trying to vent her frustration. The lock clicked once through the room, and then she was left blissfully alone. Getting up, steadying herself with a hand on the wall, there wasn't much to find or examine in the walls, and there were no cupboards to explore. She didn't see any cameras either.

A little reluctantly, she pulled the towels out of the bucket and sat on the toilet lid after filling it with the hot water from the electric tank, then some of the cold and a bit of her shower gel from the bag.

It wasn't anywhere near as pleasant as the shower had been, but it worked, and she felt better for washing. Less dirty and slimy and sleepy. Then she changed into a loose pink t-shirt and mint green knitted jumper, and some camouflage print leggings that had been in the bag. She didn't even bother putting the bloodstained striped jumper, t shirt or sports bra into the bag, she just left them on the floor. 

At first, she wondered about avoiding the sports bra, but it was the only way she could hide the screw she’d managed to smuggle around with her. So, despite the wince in her shoulders that came with pulling one off and on, she ignored the sting and did her best to just position it as best she could above the dressings running down her back. They felt reasonably fresh. Someone had changed them recently, she guessed. Probably Macidus (and despite the faint appreciation for the medical care, the thought of someone touching her skin while she had been unconscious didn't give her much reassurance).

After she knocked on the door, and Bogh had tied her up again, Katie had expected that to be the highlight of her day.

She was wrong. After she had eaten a second time, had been left to stew amidst her own uneasy thoughts, wondering about the blue-prints again, the door opened and Sendak followed Bogh inside the room.

His sudden presence made her start and she tried to shuffle back into the corner before he easily caught her and sat down behind her on the edge of the mattress, an arm around the front of her shoulders, holding her shrieks and protests steady with a firm grip on her tied wrists, and brandishing a datapad in front of them both.

She could smell the tar of cigarettes in his breath where it brushed the side of her neck, shivered over her ear when he looked over her shoulder, and her immediate response as he got comfortable around her was to try and shake him off. She felt sick having him so close; she was used to Sendak invading her personal space, but every time it made her panic, made her feel claustrophobic, and this was the worst example so far.

“You don’t need to worry Miss Holt,” he said as she tried struggling and inching herself away from him. “I have no plans for unpleasantness with you,” he said, his tone… strange. “I just want to show you something,” he added, tapping into a news feed app.

The app opened and she caught the date― _Sunday 15_ _th_ _August; 20:07pm―_ in the top corner before her eyes zeroed in on the article that Sendak had summoned, the starting capture image, the headline; ‘ _Fire & Rescue Day 38: LIVE―Matthew Holt and Romelle Anderson Respond to Purificationist Demands._’ There was a countdown timer on it, announcing the live broadcast to begin a just under half a minute.

“Since any distractions would slow your father’s work, your brother was more than happy to supply some footage to the press,” Sendak explained, his thumb brushing over her cheek; she choked down a retch as the sensation crawled through the burns on her back.

He gripped her jaw and turned her gaze more directly to the screen now sat on her thighs, and Katie’s stomach churned further as she processed all the words on the banners and the article title; had Sendak asked her brother to do something again? What was going on? Had he demanded the police call off the search? Had he demanded money as well? What footage? Footage of her? Why were Romelle and Matt on the news?

Sendak made her agitated because he was always so calm. He talked about this like he was talking about missing an episode of his favourite soap. He always spoke about his dealings so mundanely that she was never sure what he was talking about seriously until she could see it with her own eyes. She could never tell where his temper really was. Even when he was about to snap.

“I thought you could be the judge of your brother’s performance, like you were with your father’s press conference. Understand?”

Not this again. She wanted to crawl away and hide just thinking about this. Footage must mean something from the calls to the police. Maybe photos? No, she didn’t want to. None of the shots she’d been asked so kindly to take part in were very flattering, and he wanted them churned out for the whole of Marchanda to see? 

The notion was humiliating and it was a good thing she was gagged, else she would have earned herself his wrath voicing the thoughts she had on it.

His grip on her jaw tightened, thumb digging painfully into her cheek, and she couldn’t help a short wince, and quickly nodded until the grip let up. “Good girl; you’re learning to cooperate.”

Katie wanted to give him the dictionary definition of the word, just so she could see what he’d say in response, but again, it was probably a good thing that she couldn’t. Instead, she focused on the video, trying to ignore the arm around her front, holding her against him.

A short jingle played with the stream introduction, and then the video started, focusing on a woman with long pastel blue hair in a lemon-coloured suit. Beside her sitting on the sofa was her brother and Romelle.

‘ _Hello, my name is Plaxum Mae. Welcome to Fire & Rescue, Terran National Notification Service’s special programme following the effects of the Voltedge Zaiforge Bombing, and the kidnapping and ongoing search for the daughter of company founder and CEO, Katie Holt,_’ she said―Katie recognised her from the breakfast politics programme she’d watched in the car on the way to work when Bogh or Shiro were driving. ‘ _Today is day thirty eight since the Voltedge headquarters bombing, and later we have some news regarding public and victim compensation, which is to start being sent out to all victims and their families tomorrow._ ’ 

She watched the screen as it played, a picture of herself fading out to a silhouette against an outline of Voltedge and the Purificationist logo to form the programme logo. It was like a special news segment or something, and she wasn’t certain how she felt about being a focus of national news. In fact, that was a lie; she knew how she felt about it. 

‘ _But first we have Matthew Holt―Voltedge Media Chief―and his wife, Romelle Anderson―a forensics scientist working on the Holt case―live in our Marchanda studio following a demand by cult faction leader and kidnapper, Jake ‘Sendak’ Yurak._ ’ 

Her dad might have been a rich CEO type, but they’d never been the kind of family who was always on the covers of magazines like the Rabe-Summers. She had a small media following, but that was mostly based on her tech projects, and for college and work. 

Nobody had ever been interested like that in her life before, and now they were for all the wrong reasons, because Sendak wanted to make things more difficult for her parents, and presumably the police. It’d been harder for them to work if they had to deal with a heightened media presence, surely?

Katie hated it. She understood why it was apparently such a big interest topic though. Her father aside, anything Purificationist always made national news, sometimes even international. Her dad’s company had a lot of branches, and employed a lot of people. The Headquarters in Marchanda alone had at least 3,000. It hadn’t been destroyed, but the damage would take years to repair. Of course people would want to know the details, especially if people had died (which she still didn’t know for certain, but suspected as much). 

It still made her feel sick knowing this was also about her, and her current situation though. Trying to shake the thoughts away before she stated dwelling on them too much, she watched as the image cut to a close up of Matt and Romelle, sitting on one of the interview sofas. Matt looked exhausted, though not as badly as her dad had in the video calls, and Romelle looked a little weary. And… wait... 

‘ _Mathew, Romelle, thank you for approaching us to make this broadcast today. Can you tell us why you’re here today?_ ’

Katie peered at the screen, trying to work out if her eyes were still playing tricks on her, or Romelle was… she looked pregnant? Romelle had curves but she wasn’t overweight to the point of mistaking fat for a baby-belly on her, and nobody could put on that much weight in—she had to inhale a little—thirty eight days.

‘ _I can,_ ’ Matt nodded. _‘A few days ago, my mother was sent a message telling me to release footage from the police calls with my sister or from Sendak’s text message check-ins regarding Katie to the public,_ ’ he explained. ‘ _The police advised us to go ahead with the video release, and have helped us pick some of the images. They’ve also released some information that ‘Melle is going to explain when the footage has been shown._ ’

Katie hoped that meant that they weren’t going to show anything too bad. She wanted to be able to look people in the eye if she ever got out of here, something she was growing less sure of by the day, no matter what she told herself. She found herself thinking about her words more often, pleading internally that fate had a plan for them, that she’d still hear them, because hearing them meant there would be a way out of this for her.

‘ _I’d like to ask before we show the footage, having seen it already for the sake of the content and being prepared myself,_ ’ Plaxum said. ‘ _Why did you pick these particular pieces of imagery?_ ’

‘ _Sendak didn’t make any stipulations as to what he wanted us to show,_ ’ Romelle said, shifting on her seat.

That was definitely a baby-belly. Romelle must have been pregnant before she had been taken. Was that why she had been going back and forth to the doctors so much? How far along was she? Katie couldn’t believe she was going to be an auntie again. Her brother was going to be a dad again. 

That more than anything Sendak’s presence had caused, made her eyes itch and sting till she felt a couple of wet trails over her skin, between her eyes and the microfoam encasing her jaw, because as happy for them as the news made her, she couldn’t tell them.

‘ _For the most part, we chose things that aren’t too degrading; the detectives are sure that Sendak is going to make Katie watch this, he has before, so there was a collective agreement that we needed to spare her that if we could,’_ she explained, and Katie felt her shoulders slump with relief. 

At least someone had had the foresight to expect emotional manipulation from Sendak. Because that was what this was. It was psychological torture. In a way. No, she knew it was. She couldn’t help reacting to it, but Katie tried to remind herself of that when things like this happened. It helped her feel less defeated, less like she was giving up by agreeing and complying if she reminded herself she was being deliberately manipulated.

 _‘For the others…_ ’ she paused. ‘ _...well, the world already knows what he’s done thanks to his first media interference, so while as I said we want to try and give Katie as much dignity back as we can, there’s no point in hiding what Sendak is putting her through if we have to try and cover everything he wants from this… advertisement._ ’

That last part didn’t sound great but if Sendak hadn’t been specific, then trying to cover all their bases was a good idea. Logically. Katie was sure she wasn’t going to like it but she knew that Matt and her parents―and Romelle―wouldn’t have agreed to anything the police didn’t have a good reason for including. She just had to hope they knew what they were doing. That for all the trials fate was putting her through, in the end, it was still on her side.

‘ _Thank you for that,_ ’ Plaxum nodded, before looking back on full screen at the camera. ‘ _We’re going to play the footage now. From this part of the programme onwards, viewers should be aware that the videos and images shown will be unsuitable for young children and teenagers, and contain scenes of torture, non-consensual drug usage and other images that people may find distressing._ ’

What followed was a sequence of videos some Katie remembered and others she didn’t.

There were a few still images one after another. One of someone holding an ‘ _Okay_ ’ hand sign up in front of a burning building from a car window set beside one of herself. It must have been when she was first taken from her office, because she recognised her purple jumper with the shoulder buttons―she had been wearing it that day. Then there was one of Sendak holding the lighter up to her face while he made her watch the press conference, and one of Bogh helping her eat and drink.

The last photo however was different. It was from a higher view of her old room. Bogh was sitting on the chair reading, and it must have been during one of the hours when she’s been untied, because she was slumped out on the mattress. 

But the angle was all wrong. There was no way that they could have got a photo of her from that angle unless there had been a camera in the room. Her suspicion was confirmed to her horror when it was followed by a video of her stepping (clothed, thank fate's mercies) out of the shower and banging on the door for Bogh to let her out.

Cameras. There had been _cameras_. Glowering at Bogh she screeched at him through the gag, thrashing and protesting as much as she could until Sendak tightened his grip and put his hand over her nose, forcing her to still if she wanted to breathe.

“Wait, how do they have that footage?” Lahn asked somewhere off to the side. “I thought you set the last place to go up?” he asked when Sendak finally lifted his hand, placing the datapad back on her lap, turning her head back towards it.

Katie glowered as much as she could at Bogh before she reluctantly turned her gaze back to it; he hadn't just hidden something, Bogh had flat out lied to her about there being no cameras in the bathroom. She knew she shouldn't be surprised, that she shouldn't believe anything he told her, but he'd lied _again_ , and knowing brought all the stings of betrayal back again

Was that why the video had been included? To let her know to stay aware and suspicious? To tell her that her precautions had been right? Did that mean there were cameras here too? There was nowhere she could hide in the bathroom here! It was just a bucket to fill and her shower scrunchie. She shivered in revulsion. She’d checked it and not found anything, but she’d checked the last room too. She didn’t even know if there had been one behind the shower curtain. She hoped not. She needed to think of some way to keep herself covered the next time she had to wash. Maybe if the towels were big enough she could wrap one around her and wash that way?

“The bomb squad must have deactivated it,” Sendak grunted. “I’ll give Hawkins credit where it’s due; he’s managed to make investigation squads a significant problem far more now than Rolston or Mozak ever did. He’s running _circles_ around them.”

Katie began to feel a bit less confident as the news stream, which was silent of any commentary, moved into the clips. The first few weren’t so bad. They were obviously edited, because her clothes had changed a few times between them. There was one of her saying hi to her parents, and yelling at Bogh.

Then there was once from when she had asked Matt about video games. She watched as she talked through the end of Macidus’s emergency first aid on her back, gritting her teeth through it as she talked to her brother. 

To her frustration, she didn't really remember any of it. She knew it had happened for certain, but she couldn't be sure of what she had actually said to her brother to pass on her silent message, and for a moment she tensed, wondering if Sendak would notice something.

‘ _―like that, it was just my eye, and I was dumb enough to goad him. Can we talk about something else? I don’t want to think about him._ ’

‘ _Sorry, really, we shouldn’t keep bringing it up. We’re just scared for you, that’s all. But sure, change of subject. Name it sis._ ’

‘ _Is the new KBP game out yet?_ ’ 

‘ _You want to talk about... video games?_ ’

‘ _I’m bored!_ _I’m sick of staring at the ceiling all day! I’d kill for a book, or even one of Dad’s crappy period dramas right now!_ _I keep replaying all the cut-scenes from the franchise reboot for something to think about!_ ’

It wasn’t a long clip, just part where she dimly remembered asking Matt to talk about KBP, but Katie couldn’t help her relief when it cut off before they broke into the completely incorrect discussion on video game lore. Clearly that detective―Keith, his name was Keith, wasn’t it? Keith Hawkins? Hadn't she heard that name before?―had a brain as well as the balls to stand up to Sendak, and known not to include it.

The last clip made her tense up again, and she cringed away from the screen, turning her head and screwing her eyes shut when she realised what would follow the image of Bogh tearing her shirt and the back of her sports bra open. She didn’t want to watch this. She almost wanted the blindfold back, but Sendak forced her head towards the screen.

‘ _Please! It’s not her fault!_ _Bogh, Please! Let her go!’_

“You need to watch Katie,” he said calmly. “Remember, I need you to judge how well your brother has responded to my request for me.”

‘ _Stop! Let go of her! Stop! Stop! Stop! Katie!_ ’

She swallowed the sob of protest, relenting again as Sendak lifted both his hands to her face and pulled her eyelids open. Satisfied, he dropped his hands back to his previous grip. Trying to keep her composure, she watched what would have been her father’s perspective as Bogh held her down by her neck against the desk, before twisting the glowing end of the cigarette into her back. 

From that point on the clip was muted, but she could almost hear her own screams clawing out of her foggy memory of the day. then she felt someone pressing a hand to her back and she screamed, twisting in Sendak’s grip.

“Shh,” Sendak soothed, his hand running over her shoulder in circles and providing nothing remotely close to calm. “I’m sorry we had to do that, but I want you to understand why it had to happen Katie,” he said, his breath unpleasant on the skin of her ear, pulling her back easily. “Your father wasn’t working as he agreed to. I had to make sure he was still able to cooperate. You did nothing wrong.” 

Katie shivered as he murmured in her ear, her eyes screwing closed as she wished herself anywhere else. She felt sick, and the arms holding her were too close. She was starting to feel panic and sick fear in her chest just from hearing Sendak speak, and she felt the same shaky relief as she had on the day of the call when Bogh stopped the burns when the sound on the clip returned.

‘ _All done Princess._ ’

Sendak loosened his grip on her and she slumped against the arm around her front, the one holding her wrists as she watched the last clip. It was one of Sendak drugging her, also muted, and thankfully short. It only lasted a few seconds before the studio reappeared again.

‘ _I must say, despite having seen these clips already, they still give me chills to watch,_ ’ The host, Plaxum, said, looking a little shaken. ‘ _This couldn’t have been an easy choice to make._ ’ 

Romelle looked deceptively calm, and Katie could tell Matt was trying to maintain his composure, but he was clearly angry too.

‘ _Well, we didn't really have one,_ ’ Matt said. ‘ _It’s as you saw; if we don’t, then Katie ends up beaten or tortured, and that's just from our action or lack of it as Sendak defines it,_ ’ he paused. ‘ _He’s already burned her with the cigarette before because she tried to protest the first time he made her talk to me. He could still hurt her because of whatever he perceives as a slight or poor behaviour from her._ ’

Was that Matt’s way of telling her to keep her head down and avoid getting into trouble? It kind of sounded like it. She wanted to agree with him. It probably _was_ a good idea to keep her head down; if she’d been more careful, or maybe even held her impulsiveness and desperation to go home in check, she might have been able to escape while she was still in Marchanda.

Unfortunately sitting still wasn’t going to get her any freedom. She hadn’t known much about the last building but she had been more sure of it than she was of this place, wherever it was. She’d have to start again now, she already had, but... Was Matt right? Was it better to just wait? Her dad was already complying with Sendak. If she played along, tolerated it instead of analysing and looking for an escape route, it might give the police that bit of extra time they needed to find her.

‘ _The man in the video is her former bodyguard Bogh Torseth, correct?_ ’ Plaxum asked.

‘ _It is,_ ’ Romelle nodded, and as Romelle and Matt continued to talk about the images that had just been broadcast (and by now were probably getting plastered all over social media and other news streams), Sendak dropped the data pad, grabbing hold of her chin and forcing her to face him.

“I’m not sure if you remember, but we had a chat after we arrived here, Miss Holt, about your conversation with your parents,” he said sharply. 

Katie frowned, trying to remember anything like talking to Sendak but she couldn’t think of anything remotely like that, and she had a feeling that kind of interaction would stick out. Was he making it up? Or could she just not remember it, and if she couldn’t, what kind of ‘ _chat_ ’ had it been? What had he asked her?

Realising he was still waiting for a reply, and leery of antagonising him by making him wait, Katie shook her head, protesting through the gag. She didn’t remember it at all. 

“I thought as much,” he mused, unsurprised. “In which case, I'm going to ask you again,” he said. “Did you tell your parents how to find us?”

Her stomach churned with fear, and Katie shook her head, hoping it wasn’t too fast, or that Sendak didn’t feel the tension running down her back. She didn’t know what she had said, but surely denying anything was her best course of action here?

“Are you sure? You didn’t see something by chance and decide to take a gamble?” Sendak asked, and she felt her throat tighten. At first, she thought he was choking her again, but it was just the feeling of his hand on her neck. He was barely touching her, just holding her up, pushing her head up with his thumb so that he could look her in the eye. 

He _knew_.

Or he suspected some kind of subterfuge in her part; what had she told him? Had she mentioned anything? She didn’t even remember the conversation! If he was asking her again, did that mean he didn’t trust what he’d heard from her half drugged? She tried to remember, anything, but she couldn’t. She had no memory of a conversation with Sendak. She barely remembered the call with her father before Sendak drugged her. 

Had there even been a conversation? Or was he just trying to trick and scare information out of her with mind games? She didn't know. she had no clue, and she had no idea what her best response ought to be.

“I can understand the temptation, especially after what you had to go through during the last call with your father,” he said, the smooth tone in his voice eerily compassionate. “Really, I would have done the same; we’re both resourceful people and I’m not callous Katie; I understand. If you did, tell me now, and I’ll forgive you for it. No consequences.”

Bogh handed him his pocket knife and she froze as Sendak flicked the blade out, sliding it slowly under the microfoam, the metal cold on her skin. She shivered as it sliced through the gag, trying to focus on something else until he was done.

He pulled the rag out of her mouth after the tape was loose, and without it, she suddenly felt nervous, scared. She couldn’t tell him anything while he'd had her gagged, but now when pressed, she 'd have to respond, and she didn’t know what to say best.

“Now,” Sendak prompted. “Tell me again,” he said, his tone encouraging. “Did you tell the police where to find us?”

Katie shivered at the tone in his voice, trying to think, to work out what she ought to say. She felt one of his hands on her back and felt her breath quicken, fear sinking through her as it brought back phantom, skin-crawling reminders of her own body burning. “No! No, I swear, I didn’t tell them anything!” she cracked.

And really, she hadn’t. She might have been able to slip a clue that she was still in the city into the conversation, but Teludav Tower was a common landmark across Marchanda. Just seeing it didn’t help much, in retrospect. 

“Really?” Sendak asked; he sounded unconvinced and she felt a chill as his hand that had been poking at her back gripped around her throat. “Are you sure about that?”

His fingers squeezed and she felt her vision spot from the panic and fear that came with it. She could feel her breathing picking up. “I couldn’t have!” she sobbed, desperate for him to believe her. Fate, she hoped he believed her. “I can’t move, and I couldn’t see anything except the ceiling or the cameras when you called dad!”

“But you told Bogh you could see Teludav Tower when your window blew in.”

What? When? What was he talking about? Her hope sank. Had she said that? When? When she was still half drugged? She didn’t remember!

“I couldn’t tell what it was! It was dark!” she said, her tone pleading. “I just saw a shape; I thought it looked like Teludav Tower but I didn’t know for certain, and I was having a panic attack! I thought it might have been a hallucination! I didn’t tell them about it!” she choked between tears. She'd told matt about video game lore but she hadn't mentioned Teludav Tower, or Marchanda; the words hadn't even entered the conversation. She wasn't lying. “I’m telling the truth, I swear!" she pleaded. "I don’t want to get hurt again! I promise, I didn’t say anything!”

Sendak regarded her for a moment, then he dropped his grip, and her attention returned to the video. Romelle was talking to Plaxum about something. Katie tried to focus on it, to calm herself down, think about anything but Sendak, the feel of his hand on her neck. 

What were they talking about? The photos and clips? A timeline? No, she was telling her what kind of drug she’d been given―‘ _Kwintanol Quadratic Acid; most people have probably heard of it as_ _Q_ ’―and Romelle was right; she had heard of that. Shiro had given her lectures about it, and it always had a section beside other drug warnings in the awareness leaflets about date rape at her University student union.

“Alright,” Sendak said quietly, and she tensed when he snapped his fingers at Bogh. “I believe you Miss Holt.”

Katie’s shoulders slumped in relief as Bogh handed him another rag from a pile in a bag beside her holdall, and the roll of tape to gag her again. She didn’t even put up a fuss, and kept her jaw loose as Sendak stuffed the cloth back into her mouth. 

“I’m glad you’re being honest with me Miss Holt,” he commended her, nudging her jaw closed with one tap of a knuckle. “Things are much easier for us both when you’re cooperative.”

Katie mumbled an agreement, trying not to flinch, waiting for the microfoam. She was probably being conditioned or something, but she actually felt safer. At least this way she knew she wouldn’t be able to say something by accident. It was uncomfortable, and far from pleasant, and it made no sense to her, but at least it meant Sendak believed her. For now. That was good enough.

He held the roll, spinning it back and forth on the hand holding her back against him. “And just like I promised, no repercussions,” he said, holding the screen up once he was done, settling as though he hadn’t just been threatening to choke her again, repositioning the datapad. 

‘... _ve you known?_ ’

“After all, you’re telling me the truth, just like I asked, aren’t you?” he asked. 

Katie nodded, watching and trying to focus on the video. Plaxum was asking them about the baby. Telling Matt and Romelle congratulations. Romelle really was pregnant. She was going to be an aunt again. 

Sendak’s chin was resting on her shoulder, and she shivered, but knowing she had passed his weird little check was enough to make it slightly more tolerable than before, though the feeling still made her cringe in revulsion as she watched the video.

‘ _I’m in my fifth month now, my second trimester?_ ’ Romelle said, glancing off screen for a moment. ‘ _We lost our first child, Bryan, so we were waiting to reveal the news this time; we were going to tell everyone on our anniversary but…_ ’ 

“Then we’ll have no more problems,” Sendak said. “But keep in mind Katie, your brother is entirely correct; my bargain with your father won’t protect you from the results of your own misconduct,” A hand squeezed her shoulder, and she tensed as he leaned closer, his breath scratching unpleasantly against the back of her ear as he spoke.

‘ _…well it kind of got pushed back a bit. I… I was hoping Katie would be back home before we started telling people._ ’

Katie stilled, closing her eyes, trying not to flinch from the creep and shudder of his voice, the cloying feel of the words in her ear, the undisguised menace beneath the false pleasantry. “If I find out you’ve deceived me, I’ll burn your eyes out Katie,” he said, his calm chilling and quiet. “Do you understand me?”

She sniffed and nodded; it was just a warning, she told herself. A warning didn’t mean he knew. It was just a warning. A warning. That was all.

‘ _You’re both close?_ ’ Plaxum guessed. 

Katie appreciated her hopeful tone, and that the news host wasn’t speaking about her in the past tense. Knowing that people hadn’t given up and decided to assume she was as good as dead already was encouraging when Sendak was literally breathing down her neck.

“So, one last time,” Sendak murmured, his tone harder, his grip tighter. She hugged her arms to her chest, just in case the wad of tissue with her concealed tool was visible through her shirt. “Are you sure there isn’t something you want to tell me?”

‘ _I’ve known Katie longer than Matt,_ ’ Romelle laughed. ‘ _I met my soulmate because of her, so I refuse to give birth until she’s home, safe and sound. I want my kid to meet their auntie, and if that means carrying them around a little longer so we have time to find her first, then I’ll do it._ ’

Taking breath, Katie shook her head repeatedly, but calmly, forcing herself to mumble out an ‘ _uh-uh_ ’ around the rag, her heart thudding in her chest against, the sound echoing in her ears alongside the sound of Sendak’s eerie, calm breaths.

Finally― _finally_ ―his grip on her slackened, and he began to shift back, stand up. Give her personal space back to her until he was clear from the mattress. She watched him as he eyed her for a moment longer, then beginning to pull fresh winds of the microfoam over her mouth and jaw.

After he’d finished gagging her again, he turned to his phone.

“I don’t think I’ll call your brother this time” he decided. “I think he did as he was told. And I would hate to put him on the spot when his wife is in such a delicate condition,” he mused. Then he raised an eyebrow. “But if you think I should, I’ll call him now Miss Holt. The choice is yours.”

Katie stared at him, looking first at the screen where her brother was glancing at his phone again, then back at Sendak, unsure. He nodded back at the datapad, and she looked at it again. Matt looked sick with worry, and Romelle looked worried too, but she didn’t want them to be any more humiliated than Sendak was doing already.

And what would he do with her while he called Matt? They’d just gagged her again, so he obviously wasn’t going to let her talk to him. She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out, or tolerate him encroaching her personal space just to make her uncomfortable and cry out and scare Matt or something. 

The host was asking them how long it usually took for Sendak to contact them, what kind of messages he sent, and her brother looked scared sick every second more the programme went on.

Huffing in resignation, she nodded, quickly, pleadingly, watching the screen. She was used to Sendak being an uncomfortable arse with her, to put it politely. If her agreeing made this a little easier for Matt too, she could cope.

“Very well Miss Holt,” Sendak said. 

He looked towards his underling, then he headed out of the room, leaving her with Bogh, who just sat and watched the screen beside her, chin in his hand, propped up on his knee as he looked over her shoulder at the datapad sitting in her lap. Katie finally relaxed with Sendak gone, feeling like she was breathing fresh and free again just from his absence.

A few moments after he had left, she watched as her brother nearly dropped his phone when it rang. Beside her Bogh set up a timer on his phone.

‘ _Hello?_ ’ he called out.

His voice was shaky. 

‘ _He… Alright, I’ll tell him, please, is Katie there? Please, I know you said dad couldn’t talk to her but―_ ’ 

Matt broke off, looking confused for a moment before looking towards the camera. 

‘ _Katie?_ ’ 

She blinked when the direct address reached through the video feed. 

‘ _Sendak says you’re watching this broadcast…_ ’ he looked stricken. ‘ _…_ _Sorry for all the crappy photos, he keeps telling us to do stuff like this. We tried to pick your good side, I swear._ ’ 

He was trying to crack a smile. He was still holding his phone to his ear, like he really was talking to her, and she rolled her eyes, trying not to cry and laugh lest she make herself choke. 

‘ _Romelle’s really going to put labour on hold for you and… and I haven’t freaked out about being a dad again to you yet, so we’ll see each other again soon, okay?_ ’ 

His voice cracked, and while Matt was on a live news stream and didn’t have the luxury of breaking down in tears, her own were dripping onto the screen. 

‘ _We love you and we miss you, and we are going to find you. I promise._ ’

Sendak must have said something, because Matt stopped, and his expression curdled, and Bogh carefully pulled the datapad away from her and set it aside, a sigh escaping him when she pulled her knees up to hide her face in them.

Bogh didn’t say anything, letting her cry herself out for a while before he put a hand on her shoulder. “Not so fast,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “You’ll choke faster than Tsuyoshi bokes on a dragon,” he warned. 

For a moment, the touch was sort of reassuring, helping her breathe through the release of tension and mess of emotion that had been powering everything since Sendak first entered the room.

Then she remembered that Bogh had burned seven little twisted circles of ash and tar into her back and she shrugged it off. 

Then she realised what he’d said. 

_Tsuyoshi?_

Katie lifted her head, something dread lining her stomach as she tried to maintain a picture of confusion.

“What?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Do you have any idea how much you and Vrek chitter about it all the time? You lot dragged me to those dumb films enough times, so I know a _few_ names" he snorted. "Fate save me, I’m not that old yet,” he snorted, getting to his feet. “I’ll be back with your food later Princess.” 

He ruffled her head, and she yelped at him in mild protest when it yanked on her hair stuck under the microfoam a bit. He closed the door behind him, and Katie collapsed as the lock turned, letting herself catch up with everything that had just happened, think about what she ought to do next.

Sendak made her skin crawl, but she couldn’t afford to annoy him anymore. She had to get out of this, not just so she could meet her nibling, but for her own sanity. She didn’t know how much more she could take, and she couldn’t wait around for fate to throw her a bone.

As hopeful as she was, Katie didn’t really want to wait for fate to rescue her if she got a chance to run on her own first. She just had to be patient, just like before. Her location had changed, but her plan needed to be the same. Stay patient, and try to gather information. Then, if she had a chance, she had to try and take it. 

But not today. She hadn’t done much, but she was exhausted already. She needed to rest, and be patient.

Just for a little longer. She thought about her brother and Romelle, the last time she had talked to her mother, the last relatively normal conversation with her dad, and lulled herself in to relatively pleasant sleep.

* * *

Sendak likes to think he's a reasonable terrorist and psychopath. 

I just like to think he's a fekkin' psychopath.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> •After Katie has finished eating, bogh takes her for a sower; she is blindfolded and carried to a different room. Katie tries to track the path he takes, but doesn't have much success.
> 
> •There's no shower or tub, just a toilet, sink and and industry electric water heater. He gives her a bucket and a towel. She snaps at him when he mentions needing to stay clean to keep infections out of her burns. Bogh is firm when he claims she can thank her father for them when he knew what would happen to her if he didn't keep up.
> 
> •He leaves and Katie tries to look around the room as she did the previous one, but finds nothing of use, and takes the chance to clean up, if only to feel a little better. Bogh ties her up again, and for a while she is left alone.
> 
> •Later Sendak arrives, which starts internal alarm bells, but when she tried to back away her sits down on her mattress and pulls her in front of him, forcing her upright with the grip on her hands where they are tied at her front.
> 
> •He assures her he has no plans for unpleasantness, though not at all comfortably, and tells her he wants to show her something. He holds up a datapad with a live news stream titled ‘ _Fire & Rescue Day 38: LIVE―Matthew Holt and Romelle Anderson Respond to Purificationist Demands._’
> 
> •Sendak forces Katie to watch the footage Matt and Romelle explain has been chosen at his demand, and tells her wants her to judge her brother's performance like she did with her father's first press conference.
> 
> •At first Katie is reluctant, but does as he demands, and realises, to her joy and dismay, that Romelle is pregnant again. 
> 
> •Katie sees an edited clip of her talking with matt about video games, but is relieved to see she doesn't say anything obvious. she cant remember much of the conversation with Matt, and is worried until she doesn't see any reaction to it from Sendak.
> 
> •She also sees footage of herself getting out of the previous building's shower (clothed after changing behind the screen) and screeches her anger at bogh for lying to her about the cameras. 
> 
> •She wonders if Matt is trying to warn her about the cameras, and if it had been chosen to tell her to stay wary. Matt comments that Sendak will hurt her for anything he considers poor behaviour on her part, and Katie suspects he's trying to tell her not to take anymore chances.
> 
> •Lahn comments about the footage; Sendak claims the bomb teams probably deactivated the program he's started to torch the last place, and comments that ' _Mr Hawkins_ ' has been more effective in leading the investigation teams than his predecessors.
> 
> •After making her watch the clip of Bogh burning her, Sendak apologises, reiterating Bogh's comment that the treatment was her father's fault for not complying with his demands. He also asks her if she remembers a conversation they had upon arriving.
> 
> •Katie is confused an uneasy when he asks ' _again_ ' if she told her parents where to find them. He tells her he understand s the temptation after what bogh did, and that if she's honest with him, there will be no repercussions.
> 
> •She denies doing so, and wonders if he is making the conversation up to trick her, but when he says she told him she saw Teludav tower, Katie insists that she didn't tell them anything, reasoning with herself that she isn't lying, because she never actually mentioned Marchanda or Teludav Tower, and really isn't lying in a technical sense.
> 
> •Sendak is satisfied and gags her again with the warning that if she is lying, he'll burn her eyes out. Katie is firm in her denials still, and he moves on, talking about if he should call her brother or not, which she indicates he should watching Matt wait for contact on the screen. 
> 
> •Sendak leaves the room to talk to him, but Bogh stays with as she watches Matt. Her brother tells her that he's been told she's watching, and that they love her, miss her and apologises for the videos ' _We tried to pick your good side, i swear._ ' He promises her that they will find her.
> 
> •Bogh stays with her for a while as she tries to compose herself after, urging her to breathe slowly―' _You’ll choke faster than Tsuyoshi bokes on a dragon._ ' 
> 
> •Katie is exhausted, and her mind is running in circles again, but she decides to be patient. While she is hopeful for rescue, she decides that she can't wait for fate to rescue her if she gets a chance to do it herself first, and resolves to learn about her surroundings, and gather information.


	12. All Adding Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

The next day, Katie put aside any temptation to try and sleep through the rest of the week until Sendak called her father again aside.

As nice as that idea was, it wasn’t going to get her any closer to freedom, and that morning had woken her with a little more clarity. She had remembered a little of what her dad had told her about his blueprint designs.

He’d talked about them, trying to distract her at her request from the pain of the cigarette burns Bogh had left on her, and what he had told her just… didn’t sound right. She remembered him pleading for more time with Sendak too, before she’d been drugged at the end of the call. 

He’d been talking about particle barriers, but she knew he didn’t like using those, for the very good reason that he didn't understand them very well.

It was new tech that he hadn’t learned enough about on his own yet. There were people at the company employed with knowledge of microtech to keep things up-to-date, but her dad had taken a backseat to designs a when she was a child, years ago, and microtech was much more advanced now than when he had first used it. She was sure he could still work it out, and kept vaguely up to date, but it still worried her.

She’d told him about her university projects and had to stop more than a few times to explain parts of the tech to him. He was a brilliant technology designer, and he’d been able to make complex tech marketable and accessible; he’d designed the neutralisers years ago and steam rolled new tech along with them, but he wasn’t a microtech expert, and even with help, what he’d come up with still didn’t sound right.

He’d told Sendak that the Red Syntian Nitrate and Heximite reaction melted the interface instead of exploding. Clearly, that meant it wasn’t working. He’d mentioned Trayling barriers and Tel-Galax meshes, but from what she remembered about the neutraliser designs, they just weren’t built to handle those kinds of particle barriers.

Applying it with a micromatrix wouldn’t work either, because it would just overload the already minimal computer system built into the neutralisers. They were only meant to activate in the presence of Zaiforge, or other flammables like Komar fluid, when it hit the casing; after that, they released the coolants, and were usually destroyed in the process.

She knew that, because her own degree was in microtech engineering and design, with a minor in programming, and she had studied the neutralisers a couple of times for her own research. She had been _days_ away from handing in her master’s thesis project before Bogh kidnapped her, and had been planning on taking on a doctorate. She’d been working on that part of her project documentation when Bogh first drugged her.

The kind of microtech her dad knew how to use was just too old to work with the neutraliser designs; unless he had help, or someone else was involved with designing Sendak’s twisted new version of the neutralisers (which she doubted, because the police and her father would need to control information as much as they could so the cost of her freedom didn’t reach the public), it wasn’t going to work. 

Sendak wasn’t going to like that, and she really, really didn’t want to find out what having her eyes burned out felt like, or what other unpleasant repercussions Sendak had planned for her in the event of her father’s failure. He’d already been reluctant to give him two extra weeks, so Katie doubted he would be merciful a second time.

If her dad really was having the problems he claimed with the designs. She couldn’t really trust her own judgement on what she had overheard and seen of the designs behind the video call window. It was still fuzzy, and that was infuriating. 

She hated having to rely on second-hand information to try and work out what was going on when time was such a distant concept.

She had to find a way out, or find a way to buy her father more time. Neither of those were very easy to accomplish, but she could potentially do both. Preferably, she’d rather the first option, but she had to admit her chances of successful escape were still dismally low. The second was her alternative.

In regard to a possible escape, she’d had a bit more time during the night to listen and look out of the high windows above her head in her new prison, and she had a better idea of where she was already.

In the first building, the room had been darkened and soundproofed. She hadn’t been able to see through the windows or hear anything through the walls. In the bathroom, she had seen tiny glimpse of her home city that was, at first, unidentifiable.

This place though, this place was nowhere near as secreted away. There was nothing on the walls to block out the sound of seagulls flying and screeching overhead, or the sound or loud horns echoing over the rooftops. 

At night, there was a regular dim flash of rotating light from somewhere that could be a lighthouse. Based off of all those clues, Katie could only determine that she was in a dock, or harbour port somewhere. Or a shipping yard, judging by all the containers. 

She was definitely on the coast, because she could smell the faint tang of salt and the dank of wet seaweed and harbour walls. She already knew a little of the layout changes from her trip to the bathroom too, and today her goal was to improve on that.

Her idea was simple enough in concept, but executing it would be difficult. She would have to play as docile a captive as she could and be very, very careful about what she did. She had to find a way to see the layout of the building before she could start thinking about running.

Bogh had to take her out of this room if she needed to use the toilet, or change clothes. She could use that. The more trips on that route she could make, the more she could list the turns as he moved her around, the more she could try to memorise it. If she could get that blindfold off while he did it, she might even be able to catch a glimpse of surroundings.

She had managed it once before when he was distracted, and while Bogh would probably be more cautious now, she had to keep trying. She couldn’t give up, and in the meantime, she might be able to convince him to let her see her father’s blueprints to pass the time. She could hardly do anything with them, but she’d seen them on the computer last time. Just a look at them would let her know if she was right about them being more flawed than her father was letting on.

Sendak had given her father two weeks from the time of the call; that time was half up, and she didn’t think he would hesitate in following up the threats he’d made about burning her eyes out. He’d do it. He’d said so the first day she’d met him to her parents, and he’d told her yesterday.

She was running out of time not just in regards to whatever Sendak had planned for her, but with her own capability too.

Things hazed around her when she was trying to block things out, trying to forget what was going on just so she could sleep, which was usually poor. She jumped at tiny movements and creaks. All the aches were starting to pile up, and she was usually in a bit of pain.

It was wearying, forcing herself to keep looking for chances, to be on her guard all the time, to keep track of what little information she could, but if she wanted to make it out of this, she had no choice, and that wasn’t even beginning to touch on whatever mixed up mess her thoughts were in thanks to Bogh. 

All she could say for certain was that Sendak absolutely terrified her, and she didn’t want to be anywhere near him any longer than she absolutely had to be.

She didn’t know how much more she could take of it all. Katie wasn't going to try and self-assess her mental state, but she had an idea it wasn’t good. She refused to wait around for him to torture her again though, so she forced herself to think ahead. 

Every morning she had looked at her words and reminded herself of them, the inherent universal promise that she had a chance to make it out, and her resolution in her mind made up she did so again for the reassurance. 

Shifting her wrists, exposing a bit of the mark on her left wrist and stared at the words there―

 **‘ _Y_** ** _ou're safe now._ ** **’**

―the promise of success written into her being for a moment, before taking a breath and mentally preparing herself or the day ahead. She had a week. She had to make every day count, starting now as she heard the sound of the key in the lock scraping against the tumblers.

It prompted Bogh’s arrival with a bowl of cereal, and like clockwork, he entered the room, pushing the door closed with his foot and locking it again before shoving the key into his pocket. 

One lock, she reminded herself. The last room had been more heavily secured. She had heard more than just the standard one. There were tumbler locks too, at least another two. Here she could only hear the standard key lock.

“Morning Princess,” Bogh greeted, setting the bowl down and sitting down in front of her as she sat up.

The motion was sort of automatic now, and she closed her eyes, trying not to flinch as Bogh cut through the tape with his multi-knife. The routine was familiarly hypnotic as he chatted away, and she tried not to let herself get drawn into it. Before it had been a semi-comfort, one gained by telling herself he was the safest one by manner of her familiarity with him.

But Sendak had told him to burn her and he’d done it. She couldn’t trust anything he did. She wished she had recognised that more clearly before, but it was better late than never. Still, it made it difficult to try and talk to him now.

“Do you want a wash now or later?” Bogh asked her once she was making her way through the cereal. It was some kind of wheat parcel with fake apricot filling or something in it. It tasted suspiciously like the stuff she had at home for her days off, when she actually remembered to eat breakfast.

She almost leapt on the invitation but no, that made no sense. Especially not after what she had heard yesterday.

“Why? Is Sendak looking for another free show?” she wrinkled her nose. “No thanks.”

He sighed and stopped the spoonful he’s been about to hold up for her. “I wondered when this would come up,” he mumbled to himself. “Look, you already suspected there were cameras in there anyway,” he said. “That’s why you hid behind the shower curtain isn’t it?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

“You told me no-one had a bondage kink,” she spat the once infuriating words back at him, her irritation far from false. 

“Poor choice of words, but no-one watched it for that. Only I had access to the cameras, and since you never came out from behind that shower curtain we couldn’t see anythi―”

“―only because I used common sense and didn’t take your word at face value!” she reminded him, trying not to feel so scoured and unpleasant at the thought of Sendak watching her back on the cameras (she didn’t think for a moment that he _hadn’t_ watched them, no matter what Bogh said). “Because I didn’t trust you not to lie to me, _again_ _!_ And thank fates mercies I didn’t, because you keep living up to your own standards there! All you've done since you brought me here, since I met you, is lie!”

Bogh paused, then looked away. “Alright, you have a point there,” he agreed, pursing his lips, looking agitated. “Okay, you know we had a camera in there. Now what?” he asked. “Are you going to sit in your own filth? You’ll get sick you know. If you let those burns get infected, I can guarantee you Sendak won’t take you to a hospital even if you catch gangrene; you’ll just be making your life more uncomfortable than it is, and his life easier.”

“Better than being spied on!” she shot back.

She knew he was part lying anyway. That Macidus guy was way too good at putting dressings on to be just a first aider. He had actual medical training, she’d bet money on it. That was why they kept getting him to check her back. If she got sick like Bogh claimed, they might not take her to a hospital, but they’d do something, she was certain of it.

“I don't know what to tell you,” he grunted, starting to sound irritated. “There aren’t any cameras here,” he said. 

She snorted. “You mean like you said there weren’t back at the last place?” she asked. “I think a few million people are going to disagree with you there.”

“There aren’t,” he insisted. “I can’t prove that to you without showing you the ones we do have, so you’ll just have to take my word for it and trust that even if there are cameras, it’ll just be me watching them. I’ll tell Sendak you think we’re all perverts,” Bogh shrugged. “I don't think he’ll care either way. He’s never so interested in things like this unless something goes wrong.”

“You expect me to just believe you?” Katie demanded, trying not to laugh. “You're crazy! You just agreed with me! What kind of left handed crap is in your head that makes you think I’d trust you again?”

He paused, looking as though he was going to say something, then stopped, and cleared his throat, his expression changing to something firmer. “Nothing,” Bogh said, passing her the water bottle into her tied hands for her to sip from as she wanted, and sat down beside her, watching as she took a few sips. “It’s up to you. But your options are either that, or piss yourself, sit in your own filth, then maybe catch an infection,” he told her bluntly.

Katie cringed. Forcing herself to take a few more sips of water despite the mental images that conjured. She didn't want to agree to this. But hadn’t she been telling herself that she needed to try and figure things out here before Bogh arrived? Frowning to herself, she forced herself to drink some more. “Fine,” she muttered reluctantly. “I’ll wash.”

Bogh nodded, letting out a breath and she had a few more, longer sips of the water, before awkwardly holding the water bottle up so that he could take it back. Then he started to pull the blindfold over her eyes.

At first, she stayed compliant, letting him pull it around her head before letting out a wince of pain that was a tad exaggerated―she needed to see something if she was going to really start figuring out how to get out of here. “That hurts!” she complained.

“What?” Bogh asked, sounding exasperated. “What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s too tight! It’s hurting my eye!” she whined, twisting her head uncomfortably, trying to loosen whatever tightness he'd twisted into the fabric, like she was wincing away from it on one side. “The one Sendak hit… I can’t remember when, but the one he punched.”

Bogh paused, and then she felt the fabric loosening a little. Not much. Bogh just loosened the first strip of fabric, then changed it up. He wrapped it loosely again, then rewound the remainder more tightly again, but only on the eye Sendak hadn’t turned black, like an eyepatch over the looser fabric. “How’s that?”

“It’s okay,” she nodded.

She’d have to work with it, but it was better than nothing. Bogh didn't look convinced, but he hoisted her over his shoulder all the same. As soon as they were moving, she tried to tug the bottom section of the blindfold over her dodgy eye with her fingers. Slowly, so that her movements disappeared into Bogh’s as he walked.

She managed to pull a small crack between the two layers before he jostled her, and she stopped, not wanting him to catch on, and peered through the tiny gap she’d managed to make.

She was being carried along a hallway, and at the opposite end was an open door where she assumed Bogh had carried her from. 

A rug passed under Bogh’s feet and as he turned to the left―no, the right, she was travelling backwards, it felt like a left to her, but it was really to the right―she caught a glimpse down another hallway. 

There was an office on one side with glass windows where she could see Sendak talking with someone. A woman she hadn’t seen before in a crisp suit and white hair. At the very end, she could see more glass doors, with cars parked beyond them. There was a red delivery type van she could see someone loading boxes into the back of before rolling down the back hatch.

That was interesting but not nearly as interesting as what the glimpse had provided her with; an exit. 

Bogh stopped, and she fidgeted, making it seem like she was twitching as she tried to ruffle the blindfold so that it just looked like it had shifted by itself as he opened the door, and his footsteps started to clack on the tiles.

He set her down, and she waited, still blind. The blindfold was back in place, so he ought not to suspect anything from her. She fidgeted, a little impatiently. “Bogh?” she asked after a long moment of silence, where he would normally have taken the blindfold off. The silence persisted and she felt a wave of unsettling panic that he’d left the room sink in. “Bogh? Bogh!”

“Sorry Princess,” he said quickly. She heard something snapping in front of her, but couldn't see anything. “Just checking your bag was still in here. I’m going to go find you a bigger towel. Keep your trap shut, alright?”

She nodded, deliberately not confirming anything vocally, and she heard him leaving the room, returning a few minutes later. She didn't try to push the blindfold off while he was gone. She needed to pretend she really was being compliant. She needed to be careful.

He came back, and the blindfold was gently pulled off. She blinked a little, readjusting her eyes to the dim lighting as Bogh began to untie her legs. Soon, the door was locked behind him.

After getting to her feet, she held out the towel he’d brought through and left on the toilet seat as the bucket was filling, examining it. 

It was huge. Easily big enough to wrap around herself. It’d be a pain in her neck, but it’d stop her from being completely naked on the cameras (which she was certain there were, no matter what Bogh said). There was a pair of brown leggings and a grey long-sleeved shirt and striped blue and brown hooded pull-over sitting on top of the holdall for her to change into too.

Wrapping the towel around herself, she undressed beneath it and started to clean herself down, trying not to think about the argument she’d had with Bogh, and instead focus on what she had seen.

If she was right, her new prison really wasn’t as well-chosen as she had expected. If she could get out of the room, or even this bathroom, it wasn’t that far to freedom. She just had to get to that door, and then she could find help.

So, she washed as awkwardly as the towel and bucket insisted on, dried off, dressed herself again, and knocked on the door, sitting obediently with her back to it as the key scraped. She didn’t protest when Bogh tied the rope back around her arms, tied her legs, or gagged her again. When he blindfolded her like before, she refrained from trying to peek again. She’d have other chances before the week was up.

For now, she just needed to wait, be patient, and make sure she was ready. She’d only have one chance if she tried to run, and if it went wrong she didn't know what would happen, but she didn’t plan on finding out.

She had a week to plan; now that she knew where to run, she just had to get to the door. She’d made herself another chance, and this time she would not let desperation make her waste it.

* * *

After Bogh had taken her back to her room, Katie turned her focus to looking around and inspecting it more closely for anything she could utilise. 

She had given a cursory glance of the room itself when she arrived, and again when she had been more coherent, but now that she had a goal in mind, she had more focus, and inspected things more intently.

The room was moderately bare, but it did contain a few things that the last one didn’t. For one, while she was only on a mattress here, there was a chair in one corner, and it wasn’t fixed to the wall and floor like the bed in the last room had been, and she had been given more blankets, presumably because this room was colder than the last one.

She’d already observed that the windows weren’t boarded up―they were too high to see much out of anyway―but even that oversight told her more about the location in the past few days than she had learned of her last prison in weeks of captivity.

She was close to the sea. She could hear boat horns and seagulls, and the shipping containers she could see from the window implied that the building was in some kind of industrial area. It was a dock somewhere.

She couldn’t tell where exactly, but Marchanda wasn’t a coastal city. It was some driving distance to any ports or beaches, and the closest was about a five-hour drive at the very least. That was just to a small seaside town though. The closest cities with any industry like this were all at least six or seven hours on top of that, if she had her geography right.

All that information helped her to work out the passage of time during the day. It took a few days to work out, but she found that she could use Bogh’s morning routine with what she had already worked out to guesstimate it. 

There was a call on a broadcast system every morning, one that sounded like shipping numbers, usually around midday, and she could also tell by the amount of time between Bogh’s periodical check-ups on her.

He came in every hour. He’d poke his head around the door and ask her if she needed anything––water, or if she needed to go to the toilet, both of which she abused mercilessly. She drank more so that she could be taken through to the bathroom, and used a sparing few of the trips across the next three days to double check with the blindfold that she had indeed seen an exit she could realistically aim for.

The few sporadic glimpses weren’t brilliant, but they were enough to confirm that the door past the office was her best chance of escape. The hallway her room opened onto did turn around at the opposite end, but Bogh had never taken her in that direction and she didn’t know where it went.

Bogh’s routine also revealed a gap in its schedule. During the night, after he switched out the light following her evening meal, she didn’t normally see him again until the morning. Staying up once, pretending to sleep she learned that unless she had a nightmare, and was hyperventilating, or at risk of suffocating herself, he only came back to check on her in the early hours of the morning.

Between all his trips, he locked the door behind him each time. If she wanted to get out of the room, or even the bathroom, she needed to get Bogh out of the way. Or at least get past him and somehow either pick the lock, or steal the key.

Shiro had tried teaching her how to pick locks that once. Her naïve teenage brain had not absorbed very much of the information before she had rolled her eyes, told Shiro he was worrying over nothing, and (probably) tried to ditch him again.

Really, hindsight was as much a torture as her current situation, because if she’d just paid more attention, or even respected her parents worry enough to humour them and listened to Shiro’s lectures on lock picking, or self-defence, she might not even _be_ here, or could have escaped by now.

Unfortunately, her reaction to the nice man who wanted to help prevent her from being kidnapped and tortured (and at this point, she might as well add potentially murdered to the list) had been to ignore him and run away at every turn because he was ‘ _making it impossible to have a social life_ ’. 

Back to her current escape plans; she _might_ be able to pick the lock if she could find something thin to work with, but she wasn't confident of that. She knew the screw wouldn't work, and when she shuffled around the room, pulling herself around with her feet and rolling across the floor as silently as she could, she didn't find anything else that might.

Just the rotten old chair, some cardboard boxes, and some rusted steel beams she knew for a fact were too big and heavy to lift. Even Bogh and Shiro would struggle with those. 

There was nothing. Not even a scrap of rusted wire. Or a tiny old nail. That meant she needed the key. Which in turn meant she had to think of a way to steal it from Bogh, which came with its own set of problems.

For one thing, it meant he’d have to be in the room for her to try taking it, and she would have to untie herself first. That would obviously make him raise an alarm. 

Maybe. Bogh managed to manhandle her enough by himself to drug her back at Voltedge. He probably wouldn't have too much difficulty grabbing her until someone else came to help. He could probably just sit on her and tie her up again. She had to catch him off guard the first time, or she’d never even get out of the room. 

Katie wasn’t stupid; she knew she was proportionally disadvantaged. Bogh was easily three times her weight, stronger, and significantly taller than her. The others too. She had been in good shape a few weeks back, but probably wasn’t now. She’d barely been able to drag herself around the room, and the number of aches and pains she’d accumulated since her last day at work was ridiculous.

However she planned to escape, she first needed to figure out how to work around her unwanted security guard; even if she could untie herself (which she still didn’t know for certain) if she couldn’t get past Bogh, there was no point even trying.

Only once she had done that would she be able to get the key, which he certainly wasn’t going to just give her. So, after his second check-up of the morning, when he’d glanced around the door, she got to work looking for a solution to that problem.

Katie slowly and quietly dragged herself around the room, looking for anything that was remotely useable as a weapon. There was always the screw; maybe she could stab him with it? Her stomach churned at the thought, and she temporarily cast the idea aside. That was probably going to be her backup ‘ _if it gets absolutely panicked and desperately fucked_ ’ option.

There was also the chair; She might be able to knock him out with it, but that would be noisy, and attract attention. Then again, the fact that she was being left to her own devices, and Bogh had done nothing but poke his head round the door told her the security maybe wasn’t as strong as it had been before.

She had presumed there were cameras, but nobody had come in to stop her moving around the room and if there were cameras, then they would have _seen_ her poking around and probably tied her to the wall or something.

She had found something from the efforts too. Something interesting, hidden on the other side of the room. It had just been shoved behind some planks, and she only found it because she was rolling towards that side of the room, and her head happened to be in the right place at the right time, but it made her pause.

It was a baby monitor. 

Was that how Bogh was coming in at just the right moment when she had a panic attack? The baby monitor was something, but it was kind of random. A last resort sort of measure, and then there was the fact that the door only had one lock. In comparison to the last room―with the blacked-out windows, soundproof walls and bolted down bed, and multiple locks on both the bedroom and bathroom doors―there was much less security put in place around her.

After finding the monitor she was more certain that just maybe Bogh hadn’t been lying about the cameras after all, at least in this room. Trying to think of a way to test it, her eyes fell on the water bottle that Bogh had left behind from his last trip.

After shuffling back across the floor Katie waited until she was a little further between the points when Bogh poked his head around the door. Then pulled herself half of off the mattress, like she’d fallen trying to reach something. Then she clocked the water battle, swinging her feet against it to kick it across the room, where it rolled into a pile of (frustratingly empty) cardboard boxes. 

The clatter it made as they tumbled over from the haphazard stacking wasn’t so loud, but it was loud enough. Sure enough a few moments later there were footsteps in the hallway and the scrape of a key in the lock. Bogh looked around the room quickly, almost panicked but not quite, first at her, frowning when she wasn’t lying limp and docile on the mattress as per usual.

Mumbling, looking at him upside down the way she’d made herself fall off the mattress, Katie pointed to the cardboard boxes. Bogh frowned further, then moved them out of the way until he found the water bottle. Picking up he sent another suspicious look at her, then crossed the room and pulled her back up from the floor before cutting through the gag.

“I’m curious; how exactly were you planning on drinking anything without help, Princess?” he asked, once he'd cut through it and handed her the water bottle. Despite the seriousness in the question, he looked slightly amused.

She cringed, before taking a long sip from the sports cap. “I was going to try and kick the wall till someone showed up,” she mumbled, before taking another drink. “But I dropped it and fell all over the place.”

Bogh grunted as she continued to sip at the water, watching as Lahn poked a head round the door, before disappearing again. Bogh wasn’t the only one who could hear the monitor then. That was good to know. Not helpful, but good to know all the same.

“I’ll say you did,” Bogh muttered. “Hit your head? Your back?” he checked.

Katie shook her head, and took another sip, wondering what she could try and coax out of Bogh before he left again. She really wanted to look at her father’s plans, but what were her chances of getting a look at them? It was worth a try. The more she knew the better.

“How long until Sendak calls my dad again?” she broached, taking another mouthful of water. She wanted to try and get another look at the hallway again today, so drinking as much as she could was another agenda she needed to keep track of.

“The day after tomorrow.”

Katie coughed and spluttered through her mouthful. The day after tomorrow? That was two days away! It couldn’t have been that long already could it?

“What?” she blinked. “But Sendak, he said it would be two weeks?” she frowned, trying to remember the last time she had seen her father.

“It’s been a few days since you woke up, and you were out for nearly a week,” Bogh reminded her.

She knew that, but she had still thought she had more time.

“Relax, as long as he’s working hard you’ll be fine and you’ll have a chat with them all without any excitement,” Bogh said, taking the bottle from her hands almost with her notice. “Fates, did you drink all of this?”

Considering how well the video and phone calls so far had gone, she doubted that there wouldn’t be _something_ go wrong very much. 

So far, she’d been strangled, burned four times, had a lighter flashed on and off in front of her eyes and ears, led to think she was being left for dead by the police (the only thing that had worked out well, ironically), been burned another seven times, drugged so much she’d lost an entire week, and most recently been made to watch her own torture on public viewing just to get a one-sided conversation from her brother.

Katie also didn’t want to come out and say it, but her father’s ability to work as Sendak wanted him to was exactly what she was worried about. It had been years now since he developed the neutralisers.

“I was thirsty,” she mumbled, still distracted from the sudden and unwelcome update to her timeline.

Two days? She thought she had more time than that, but if it really had been that long—which, when she counted again in her ahead, it did seem like it had been—then she had to do something, soon.

Bogh raised an eyebrow at her, snapping down the plastic stopper in the bottle cap with his thumb, before putting it aside. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Katie jerked back to him. “Haven’t you asked me that before?” she asked, too shocked to snap the way she wanted to. “Because it’s still the same answer, just with some fun new extras.”

“You’re hilarious,” he rolled his eyes at her again. “Come on, spit it out.. I know _something’s_ eating at you.”

Katie twitched, then looked away from him. She really, really wished Bogh didn’t have the advantage of having watched her every move for over two years. It made her attempts at subtle probing less subtle and more glaringly obvious.

“I’m just…” she chewed her lip, then flopped back onto the mattress. “…bored? Scared? Confused? Take your pick Bogh. You know as well as I do that dad doesn’t make many designs anymore, not with microtech, and he needs it! I could hear him talking about his blueprints to Sendak! I’ve got nothing to do but sit and sleep or think about all the crap that’s going on that I can’t do anything about, and I’ve already slept so much I don’t know what day it is any more, and...”

She took a breath, calming herself down before she stewed herself into a crying angry mess. Being angry wasn’t going to help her; that had already proven itself useless several times. Bogh wouldn’t care. Sendak certainly didn’t care, and she didn’t get any satisfaction from the wasted energy either.

“So you kicked your water all the way across the room,” Bogh guessed, his voice dry, less amused, but not as though she was in trouble. If she didn’t know better about how well she knew him (which was not at all), Katie would have sworn he sounded guilty. 

She shrugged, not really sure what to say to guide the conversation back the way she wanted it to go. So far Bogh hadn’t noticed anything amiss that would actually be detrimental to her planning attempts, and she wanted to keep it that way. It was best to go along with him, she figured.

“You’re fed up and frustrated,” he summed up. “That’s fair enough, though I don’t know that your mum would appreciate you taking it out on the furniture.”

Nevermind feeling guilty, now he was just deliberately winding her up. “I really think she’ll be willing to let it slide this once,” she huffed. 

Bogh’s face remained impassive, and she stared up at the ceiling instead. “That everything off your chest Princess?”

No. she was going to go crazy without someone to talk to, even Bogh was better than no-one. Romelle was going to have a baby; Matt was going to be a dad, and she was worried she’d never get the chance to meet her niece or nephew. She really had no clue where she was. Probably hundreds of miles from home this time, and she was just… tired.

Tired of trying. Tired of making herself hope that it was just one more day. Tired of playing along just so she didn’t end up with another black eye or worse. Tired of Sendak and his personal-space invading touches. Tired of the flinch and chills over her skin every time she saw a cigarette or heard the metallic snap a lighter. She was tired of it all.

She wanted it to stop, wanted it to be over, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen no matter how much she begged and cried or screamed, so she let silence be her response. Her test had worked, and she’d learned something important from it. She could count that as progress. Later, she’d try again with the hallway, once she’d recovered from the exhaustion and mixed feelings that always followed any conversation with Bogh.

Without a response, Bogh set aside the water bottle and gave no outward reaction to her apparent frustrated deflation; reluctantly, she kept her jaw slack as he shoved the rag back and then pulled her up to wind the microfoam tape around her mouth again.

Once he was done, he picked up the water bottle, probably to refill it. “Next time you want something again, just knock on the wall,” he told her, patting her on the cheek a little too condescendingly for her liking. “Or at least try not to be so loud; I thought you were choking,” he added, sounding weary. “You’ve been good so far, so don’t ruin it; keep it up and Sendak might see to make things more comfortable for you again.”

Rolling her eyes she shifted onto her side as he left the room, pretending to sulk as she thought about the hallway, and Bogh locked the door behind him.

' _Knock on the wall,_ ' he’d said. She glanced at her hands, which were still being tied in front of her as her back was healing. They were always fastened back-to-back, diagonally at the wrist, one across the other so she couldn't grab hold of too much (not without serious, and slightly painful effort).

She tried forming one into a fist. She could do it, but scoffed after she tried knocking it in against the air and ended up toppling to one side. If she tried knocking on anything, she’d probably smack her face up too.

Absently, Katie wondered if she’d be able to come up with some kind of creative excuse when she inevitably ended up kicking the wall instead.

* * *

Bogh, Katie is absolutely not here for your sass.

KillBot Phantasm Narrator: Katie uses her brain! It's super effective!

Apologies for any delays; Sugar was being stubborn recently and it kind of stole my focus for a while.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TL;DR**  
>  ❖Katie resolves to try and find out more. about her new prison, and tries to remember the last video call with her family. Something of what her has told her about the blueprint designs doesn't sound right, but while her memory is returning a little, some is still hazy. She just has the feeling that something was wrong. 
> 
> ❖She recalls he mentions of particle barriers, and knows he isn't well versed with the technology; when she studied them for her own university work, she had to explain the tech to talk about her work. While the company employs those familiar with it, her father has taken a backseat from inventing for a number of years.
> 
> ❖Katie's familiarity with the Neutralisers he designed during her studies also suggests what he has told her won't work. She trusts that her dad is trying to do what he can to bargain with Sendak for her release, but she is more scared of Sendak's promise to burn her eyes out.
> 
> ❖She notes through listening and looking through the windows overhead that she is probably in a port; she can see a crane, shipping containers, hear seagulls, and smell the sea. Her memory of the county's geography and coastline tells her she's a very long way from Marchanda. 
> 
> ❖She decides to find out more about the building layout, which she can do as Bogh has to take her out of the room to use the toilet; more visits mean more opportunity to memories the route in her head, more so if she can somehow get a look at the corridor.
> 
> ❖She is feeling physical and mental strain, but tries to keep focus; she takes comfort from her words to reassure herself, and prepares herself for using what she has learned.
> 
> ❖Bogh enters, and she confronts him about about the cameras. He claims he's the only one who has seen them and no-one saw anything. Katie counters that's only because she didn't trust his word and reminds him that all he's done since she met him is lie.
> 
> ❖Bogh concedes, and asks her what she wants now that she knows; she can sit in her own filth and let her burns get infected if she wants; it'll make her life more uncomfortable, and Sendak's easier. When Katie stubbornly claims its better than being spied on, he huffs, and says he can't prove it without showing her the cameras they do have, but promises there aren't any in the bathroom this time, and that she'll just have to take his word for it.
> 
> ❖Reluctantly, Katie agrees. she pretends to complain about the blindfold around her blackened eye when he prepares to take her out of the room, and he changes the wrapping. when he carries her out, she can use her hands just enough to tug a crack over that eye, and can see the layout.
> 
> ❖She sees hallways, Sendak in an office with glass windows talking to a woman she hasn't seen before, with long white-grey hair, and most importantly, a doorway; Glass doors with cars beyond: it's an Exit.
> 
> ❖She replaces the blindfold before Bogh sets her down and ' _behaves_ ', washing herself under a large towel he gives her. Based on what she has seen, she suspects her prison isn't as well prepared as the last one was, and with a week to plan, starts working out the security around her.
> 
> ❖She gets a sense of time form a foghorn somewhere outside, and Bogh's routine checks on her. It also reveals a gap in his schedule, at night when he switches the light out after her meal to the next morning. She learns by staying up that unless she has a nightmare, he doesn't come in at night at all.
> 
> ❖He always has the key, and while there aren't any extra locks on the doo, if she wants to escape, she needs to remove him as an obstacle while he's in the room, and steal the key (provided she can untie herself).
> 
> ❖She looks around the room further for a potential tool or weapon; as no-one comes in to stop her from pushing and crawling around she begins to wonder if there are even any cameras in her room. Finding a baby monitor behind some boxes, she suspects not, and decides to test the theory.
> 
> ❖Kicking her water bottle into the boxes and pretending to fall off the bed, she waits as the water bottle causes the pile to collapse. Bogh arrives moments later, and questions her. Removing her gag, he asks how she was planning to drink anything without help. She claims she was going to try and kick the wall. 
> 
> ❖Bogh helps her drink. Lahn appears for a moment, so others can hear the monitor. In conversation, Bogh reveals Sendak will contact her dad int two days time, and nearly two weeks have passed.
> 
> ❖Reeling from the revelation and unease from the information, and Katie can't help confiding a little worry and anxiety when Bogh asks her ' _what's wrong?_ '.
> 
> ❖Bogh gags her again, tells her to knock on the wall next time, and praises her behaviour, urging her to keep it up: ' _Sendak might see to make things more comfortable for you again._ ' The chapter ends as Katie is left alone.


	13. Long Shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

Bogh’s revelation about the date put Katie’s plans under a new perspective as she faced the limited time she had left in which to potentially risk an escape.

Knowing she only had two days left to work out what she needed to do made her hesitant. She had learned a good deal just by watching and trying to sneak glimpses at the prison she'd been taken to, but she had also leaned thing that added to her unease in that process. She had remembered a little more about what her father had told her about his plans in the last call, and she even remembered catching a glimpse of the blueprints on the screen now.

The more she thought about the, about the limited plans she had seen, the more she heard Sendak’s threats of burning her eyes out in the back of her mind. The more she tried to tell herself she just ought to leave things be, that her dad wasn’t going to give Sendak the opportunity to hurt her like that, the more she worried that reality wasn’t going to be that easy.

She ought to trust him. And she did. She knew already that he was going to do everything Sendak asked him to. He was making Sendak’s plans. He had agreed to make a weapon for mass murder from something that he had designed to prevent it―something supposed to help stop Purificationist carnage―all to try and protect her, and negotiate her life and freedom.

She knew he was trying, that he’d do everything he could to try and keep her as safe; he’d done it all her life, only to an extreme after her Wordbomb. She didn't doubt he was trying with everything he could, but... her dad just wasn’t a microtech engineer anymore. he was a businessman, and the plans, what she had seen, weren't right by a long shot.

Then again she risked the very same thing by any attempted escape attempt that didn’t result in success. Sendak had already been suspicious of her regarding the police tip off, and while so far, that had remained a secret, she didn’t think he’d continue to believe that if he caught her trying to escape.

There was also the inevitable anger an escape attempt would incur from Sendak to consider; if he caught her, then Katie was absolutely sure she’d be facing the same threat of having her eyes burned out, or at least some form of physical repercussion for trying. 

She also knew she would likely not get the same chance again. She would only have one chance to try; after that, if she failed, whatever limited security currently existed around her would go up, and even limited security was an extreme hindrance at the moment. She had to be sure it was worth it to try now.

She might be better off waiting, let her dad get his talk with Sendak over. She was probably just scared. There was no way her dad would let something like what Sendak had threatened happen to her and while he couldn’t intervene directly, surely if he was having trouble with the design, he’d find a way to get around it?

Sendak wanted these designs to work, that was why he’d given her dad more time.

She couldn’t count on that though. She couldn’t. Just because Sendak had given him time didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt her anyway, or get Bogh to do it for him. She’d been here so long that she had to keep reminding herself that while things were relatively easy to cope with as long as she played along, and her subterfuges went unnoticed, none of this was normal.

She shouldn’t be here. She was being held against her will. She had been tortured for blackmail purposes once already. Just because Bogh was moderately kind in comparison, and she was being given the decency of using the toilet and being allowed to wash, she had still been kidnapped. For some reason, despite knowing and living that every day, she found it hard to remember sometimes. 

Maybe she was detaching herself from what was happening. She didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing though. What she did know was that while so far she hadn’t really fared as poorly as the news streams she sometimes read―stories about people who were beaten, tortured, raped and turned into mutilated bodies―it didn’t make any of this lesser.

Just because she hadn’t been raped or killed (which she’d already heard from Bogh the former was still a possibility) that didn’t mean she was safe. 

**‘ _You’re safe now_.’**

The words on her wrist told her she would be. She had to believe that was what they meant now. It was one of the few glimpses of a chance left for her to cling onto. She wanted to trust her dad. She did. She knew if he couldn’t do what Sendak wanted, it wouldn’t be because he wasn’t trying. She knew he was. 

But she could hear Sendak, feel his breath on her ear, whispering to burn her eyes out, and she heard the promise in the tone; the certainty in his voice scared her more, and she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to get anymore injuries than she already had. She could see the lighter sparking in front of her, hear it snapping and clicking on and off in her ear. 

She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her family again, meet Romelle’s baby, see Allura and Vrek again (if he could even bear look at her―would he even want to see her anymore if she survived this?), go back and finish her masters, and get on with her doctorate at university.

She wanted her _life_ back, and hadn’t she already told herself she couldn’t afford to sit and wait around for rescue? Escaping was her best chance of survival. It had to be. Her brother had kind of told her not to in that broadcast, but Sendak had already avoided the police once. 

She trusted they were trying, but Katie didn’t think she had the time left. She couldn’t take much more and didn’t know what other options were available to her. 

Either she could try to escape, and potentially find help outside. Or, she could not try to escape, and hope that her father was able to meet Sendak’s demands, or that the police found her before then. 

Sendak would take his anger out on her if she or her father failed, and she didn’t know how much she could bank on a rescue anymore. Whatever Sendak’s set up was, it had been effective so far. At least if she tried to escape and failed, whatever happened would be a result of her own decision. She wouldn’t be sitting around waiting for something bad to happen. She had a chance to make something else happen instead. She just had to make sure it _worked_.

So, the next day she went through every obstacle she needed to address, and did her best to come up with solutions to those problems. Theoretical ones at any rate.

First the ropes. She had the screw for those, and unless that didn’t work... Well, if the screw couldn’t cut through them, she’d have no other choice but to sit and wait for whatever happened tomorrow with her father’s video call. All her other ideas were null and void if she couldn’t get the ropes off. In overall terms, they were her biggest obstacle.

Secondly, she had to both find a way to get the key from and keep Bogh from stopping her, since the key was the only way out of the room, and he was the one possessing it. So if she could do one of those, she had to do the other in the process.

She wasn’t really sure she could do either. Physically, she was at a disadvantage. She was injured, and not in good enough condition to try and brawl with a man easily twice her size.

She needed to be sneaky. Her limited tools were the chair, which she could hopefully use to knock him out, and his schedule.

She knew when he and the others sometimes came to check on her, but only Bogh came in with her meals, or to carry her through to the bathroom. He was also the only one who responded to her when she was hyperventilating and choking on her own nightmares. She also knew, operating under the assumption that there were no cameras here, how they were monitoring her. That gave her some potential control on when and how she could get him to come into the room at all without attracting attention from one of the others instead.

Presuming she succeeded in that, she had a rough idea of the building layout and where her freedom could be found; she had seen enough of the hallway to know where outside was at least. From there, she had no idea where she was or where to go, but the further she could get from the building she was in now, the better her chances of finding someone who could help her were.

There was a lot that could go wrong; she knew that. She could hardly let herself forget it, but if she was going to do this, it would have to be tonight. Tomorrow, Sendak would call her father. She didn’t have any more nights to ty to avoid it if her father was struggling as she suspected with the weapon designs.

She couldn’t afford to get this wrong, and had to use what she knew the best way she could. Katie replayed everything in her head, trying to keep her mind clear, acting docile and compliant and as normally unimpressed with Bogh’s small talk as she always did when he came through with her food that evening.

She made sure to drink decently enough, to eat everything―she was going to need the energy―and then, she waited. Bogh had locked the door behind him, turning off the dim light bulb before he closed it. He wouldn’t be back unless she had a nightmare. No one came in after night had fallen, except for that time the window had blown in.

After giving it as much time as she dared to make sure, counting the seconds slowly until two hours had passed, she got to work with her first job; untying herself.

Up till recently it hadn’t even been an option, but with her hands in front of her―Bogh had started tying them that way after her back had been burned, following Macidus's method―she actually had a shot.

Awkwardly, glad for the gag when the ropes cut into her wrists as she tried to change the way they were facing, she reached down her shirt for the wadded-up tissue containing the screw. It took some awkward, stinging, angling of her wrists but she managed to grab it, and pull it free.

Once in hand, Katie concentrated on the ropes around her, trying to work out which part might release the most leeway for the rest. Besides her ankles and knees, she didn’t think it mattered, and started drawing the swirling edge back and forth across the tensed, white, hard-wound cotton fibres around her wrists.

They weren’t too thick, but they were tight packed and thick enough that it was taking a while to work on them. The edge of the screw scratched at her wrists as she worked it back and forth with one hand, gritting her teeth by chewing the rag stuck in her mouth when it was starting to scrape a little too much.

It was working though. The rusty old screw was sharp enough and a little jagged from age enough that it was managing to bite and tear the twists of cotton. It felt like hours, but she persevered, and finally, when the side of her hand was scraped and bloodied a little, something slackened as the last draw of the screw pulled across the material. Peering in the dark at it, it looked like it had frayed, and Katie tugged. She heard a bit of stretched tearing, and the ropes slackened. It was _working_.

Going back to them, she scraped at the same spot again, more determined this time. There was a bit more leeway every moment in how much she could pull her wrist, in how much she could turn it. Finally, after what felt like another age (it probably could have been, because it was fully dark outside), the rope snapped, and the stretch in the tension around her wrists gave way to slackening, like a breath of air.

For a moment, Katie hesitated. Then, after a tentative tug at the ropes holding her wrists together, attached to the ones wound around her arms, she watched with bated breath as they stretched apart. It took a few tugs, but they fell away, and she could move her arms more feely. Not completely though.

Next, she had to work on the ones around her arms. For those, with a little more control of her hands, she decided to try pulling the knots apart. It might be quicker if she could reach the knots.

Lying her front, twisting her head to one side so that she could breath, she folded her hands up. Whether by forced habit or muscle memory, her wrists crossed as she angled them behind her back at first, the way they had been tied before. Then after she forced her elbows to bend a little more, she started feeling around for the knots.

Grasping them, the second set of restraints fell away with much more ease and the tingle on her skin that returned was uncomfortably thrilling as it was relieving; she’d really done it. She’d freed herself from the ropes. That meant she needed to keep going. She had to try and get out of the room.

After the slight fear and the relief had settled, she reached down and managed to untie the ropes above and below her knees, and the ones at her ankles the old-fashioned way, trying to keep her breath steady, before realising she was still gagged, and reached around the back of her head, trying to find the edge of the microfoam tape.

Her fingers were a bit shaky, and she couldn't really find it in the dark, even if her eyes were used to it at this point, so she used the screw tip, which was kind of sharp, to hack through it at the back of her head, through her hair, eventually tearing enough that she could carefully pull it off and spit out the wad of fabric in her mouth.

It took all her self-control not to gasp for breath. She’d been untied before, had the gag taken off of her, but after the first week, it never really felt like it was much more than temporary relief. This felt a bit better. Like she had control of her own body again even if her hands were shaking all over the place. But the next part of the process—getting past Bogh—was what scared her the most.

She hadn’t really expected to get this far, so knowing she had to go through with her plan was sort of unsettling, Katie took a few breaths trying to keep her nerve, keep away the panic. 

For a moment if she should stoop, if she ought to simply trust her father after all, if stopping now and staying in the room when she was found would keep any retribution away, but she remind herself that was the fear and conditioning talking, and she didn't owe her captors anything. Eventually she reminded herself of her plan, and the chance of freedom.

It was ok. She hadn’t been found out yet. She could do this. She just had to think. She knew how to get Bogh into the room. She just had to make a load of noise and he’d come running to make sure their bargaining chip hadn’t choked herself. 

Looking around the dim room, Katie settled herself by observing it again. There was no-one there. She hadn’t been discovered. Scrutinising the room, she knew she looked at what she had to work with again.

Her bag was sitting on the chair. She knew there wasn’t anything useful in there so to speak but she might still be able to make use of it. The chair was a potential weapon if she could get a jump on Bogh (and if she could lift it). Looking at the bed, she had the blankets, she supposed those were at her disposal too. Two fleeces she normally covered up with at night and a duvet that had mostly been too warm up till the past couple of nights.

How could she use them? After some more thinking, she had what she hoped was a good basis of a plan. It wasn’t quite blockbuster-worthy, but it was something, and it made full use of everything in the room that she could. If it didn’t work, then it didn’t work, and at least she had tried.

Before anything, she and to make sure she wasn’t stopped before she could begin; staying close to the wall for support, she got to her feet, shakier on them than she had expected, but at least she could stand up. 

Carefully, doing her best to be quiet, she shuffled around the room, looking until she reached the boxes and jumble of iron bars where she had found the baby monitor. She had to shut the thing off until she was ready.

Carefully, she crept closer watching it for any indication of how much noise it was picking up, but there was nothing there. Which made sense. It wasn’t the side of the paired devices that was supposed to tell anyone anything. Still, it didn’t tell her how much noise she was making or if anyone might be alerted to her activities, and that was unnerving her a little bit.

She inched closer to it as quickly as she dared with the blanket in hand. Once she was in range of it, she very quickly threw the blanket over the receiver, wrapping it up so that the microphone was semi-muted. Checking the back, she was happy to find the hatch for the ion battery wasn’t a screw in.

It was just a cheap one, so the battery hatch was easily pulled out, and she made short work of it, pausing only to make sure that no one was stirring elsewhere in the building before getting down to more active work. 

To her relief, her legs didn’t give out on her entirely, and she only stumbled a few times as she packed some of her clothes on the bed. The more she moved, the steadier they got, but her legs were already aching, so she sat down as she worked. 

Covering it all up with the fleece blankets Bogh had dumped on the bed for her to use, it looked like a vague, prone human shape. The duvet she took with her. It was a reasonably thick one. About ten tog with a weight to match, according to the tag. She looked at the mock mannequin critically again before turning back to the bag on the chair.

It was on the opposite side to the door opening; Bogh probably wouldn’t even be looking at it if he was woken this late. He usually just headed straight for her to calm her down as well as he could, leaving her to settle (sometimes without the gag depending on how badly she’d been panicking, which would normally be replaced by the time she woke up). 

Moving the hold all, she picked up the chair, testing it. It was just a wooden one, like the ones they’d had at school, or in some of the Marchanda Uni offices. Not too or expensive but sturdy enough and the legs were reasonably thick. It had a full back too. No arms but that actually helped. 

Once reasonably sure she was lifting it without problems she tried whacking it around a few times; that made her a bit shaky, but she could do it. Sort of. She’d just have to cope.

Going back to the bed she picked up the rag (hiding the ropes and scrappy pieces of microfoam tape under the covers at the same time). Then she scooted to the back of the room unwrapping the monitor from the blanket. 

She wanted this to be realistic, so temporarily shoved the rag back in her mouth, then refitted the battery to the monitor. She muffled it in the blanket a little―she was closer to it than before after all―then began to whimper and groan and generally sound like she was panicking and choking and crying.

It didn’t take long until she heard the creak of floorboards, and as they made their way down the hall she quickly pulled the battery back out, and made herself as small as possible as the key began to scrape, still keeping the blanket in hand.

She could hear Bogh swearing in the other side of the door, before finally it opened and he bolted in. 

“Shit, shit, don’t you dare be dead,” he grumbled heading over to the dummy.

As he rushed, she moved, coming out from her hiding place and hurling the blanket over the back of his head as he checked the mattress—“Hey, Princess, wake u-”—and grabbing the chair.

Bogh fumbled pulling himself out and twisting around from beneath the cover as she lifted it while he was still crouched, slamming the back down on his head just as he shook it off. She had him by surprise and the first one sent him reeling down onto the mattress, muffling the noise as she brought it down a second time.

That time he stopped moving. For a moment, she thought he was just faking—Bogh had been in security for a long time so she wasn’t certain it would have been enough to knock him out after he’d been experienced with fighting and self-defence for so long—but he didn’t move. He was still breathing though, which made her feel less guilty.

Was it a bad thing if she felt like she was betraying his trust for doing this? Probably. But she chose to think it was just because she just had a better moral compass and didn’t take pleasure in causing anyone any injury. Not even the person who’d done that and worse to her.

Once she was certain that he really wasn’t moving, and was in fact out cold after poking him a few times to check, she was less hesitant and rooted through his pockets, searching for the key, anything useful. She found some chewing gum, a lighter, and a wallet, but to her dismay no key. 

Why wasn’t the key in his pockets? She’d watched him open the door! She checked the muff pocket on his jumper, the ones on the front of his jeans again, the side one on one knee. Nothing. Gritting her teeth, and certain now that he was out cold, she hefted his shoulder, turning him onto his front with some effort. She checked the back pockets too. 

No key. That was not good. She needed the key. This entire plan fell apart without it. Where the hell had he put it? Down his boxers? No, that was ridiculous and disgusting. Surely not? Stifling her groan of frustration, Katie stopped her search, looking around the room, wondering if she could use anything to break it down.

It would attract attention, but what other option did she have now? She couldn’t be caught. That would just end badly. She had to keep going. She couldn’t stop. Scanning the room, the boxes, the window, looking for anything she might be able to use, Katie froze as she turned towards the wall. 

The door. It was standing ajar, with the key sitting in one of the locks. _It was already open._ Bogh hadn’t even locked it behind him in his panic. He’d left the key in the lock too. She’d been so wound up and ahead of herself she hadn’t even noticed.

Suppressing a growl of frustration, she took a few deep breaths, enjoying the unrestricted breathing, trying to calm her unsteady nerves before getting to her feet. She needed to stay focused. No distractions, she couldn’t let herself go off from her basic plan unless she found some unavoidable obstacle.

Which the key had been, but only because she hadn’t bothered to look around first; completely irrelevant to the urgency of her situation, Katie could practically hear her mother ranting about her not looking further than the end of her nose. 

Before she left the room, she had another look around, hoping for something that she could potentially use as a weapon, but no. Still nothing. She could break the chair but so far nobody had come looking, and she had already wasted a huge head start freaking out about the key.

She considered taking Bogh’s shoes but decided against it; she’d do better barefoot when her legs were already starting to ache from overuse than she would trying to compensate for footwear at least three sizes too big.

Instead she took his wallet (that might be useful), then―after a quick check to make sure no-one else was around―crept into the hallway.

The floor was freezing on her toes as she closed the door to her cell-room behind her with an almost silent click, gently turning the key in the lock, looking around, watching for anyone to poke their head around the door. Sendak, Macidus, Lahn. Maybe there were more people. She didn’t know, but once the door was locked she took another breath―patience, focus, she reminded herself, like Shiro always said―before heading to the right, relying on her memory of the hallway from the back of Bogh’s shoulder to guide her.

Her legs ached a little and her feet were either already shaky or flinching away from the cold floor, because it seemed to take forever to get halfway down without making any noise. Eventually she had a hand on the wall, just to steady herself.

Pausing only to catch her breath as she reached to break in the hallway—to calm her disbelieving heart thudding against her ribcage—and check again that there was no one else around, Katie pushed on, keeping her ears tuned to every sound around her.

It was a good thing the floor in the hallway was concrete, else she’d have been jumping at every little creak. As it was, the hallway was silent. Looking up around towards the bathroom, she could see another door, but she didn’t need to waste time exploring. To the left was the office where she had seen Sendak, and she hugged against the wall, trying to see past the corner.

There were lights on, and she could see the back of a chair, a desk, with a camera set up in place, but there was no-one in the room. Satisfied, she took a final breath, her eyes on the door at the end of the left turn, where she could see the door.

The sound of a latch made her start and bolt for it, hurrying past the in-hallway windows that had given her the glimpse into the office inside the room as silently as she could, the sound of footsteps and a door handle rattling behind her.

“Bogh, everything okay in there? Is she dead or something?” That was Lahn’s voice. How long had she taken looking for that stupid key? “What the―” The sound of the door handle rattled along the hallway and Katie tried not to let her panic get the best of her as she trudged along the hallway on her shaky legs. “―Bogh? Bogh!”

The hallway seemed to drag in forever. She didn’t dare look back. She couldn’t afford to. She was so _close_. She could see the end of the hallway, the glass door, and what looked like a public reception beyond it. That had to be the way out.

“Macidus!” Lahn shouted. “Do you have the spare key?”

She heard footsteps as her hands fumbled trying to up her pace, control the weariness that was already crawling on her with the fear of being caught again. They were going to catch on any moment! She just had to get to the door! She heard a second set of footsteps, and the creak of the door opening.

“Shit, shit, shit!”

Reaching the door, her hands were shaking as she fumbled with the handle. She was running out of time, she just had to get through the door. Looking through the glass panel she could see the double doors beyond that were her last barrier to freedom. The shouting behind her indicated that the others had noticed she was loose, but she couldn’t hear anyone following her. In fact, the shouting seemed to be heading in the opposite direction.

“...ou go left! I’ll check this way and call Sendak!”

Or not. Macidus. That was Macidus. There were footsteps thudding around the sound of her heartbeat in her ears, echoing on the concrete floor getting closer, fast.

She had to keep moving, she could see outside. She could see cars parked, and a road running alongside what looked like a seawall. She had been right, she was in a port somewhere. 

Giving up with being discrete, she grabbed the handle and yanked on the door as hard as she could. She didn’t have time. Katie winced at the screech of the hinges, the bottom of the door on the concrete floor, before finally pushing through into the next room, hugging the wall for support, forcing her legs to move as she heard someone in the hallway behind her. 

It felt like her muscles were burning from the inside out. The sting reached all down her calves and was starting to encroach up the back of her thighs as she forced herself to move, blocking it out. 

There wasn’t a computer at the reception, and there was a significant level of dust on the counter. Chairs not unlike the one she'd knocked Bogh out with, more disturbed, clearing a path to the doorway. Her legs felt like they were screaming as she limped and dragged herself towards it, but she didn’t listen to the shouting behind her, or the panic in her head. She just kept her eyes on the door.

It was just a little further. Just a little more. What if the door was locked? She could break it with a chair. They already knew she was trying to run. She didn’t need to be worry about causing an alarm, though she hadn’t seen Sendak. He was more of a worry than the others were. Was he somewhere else? She hoped so. Macidus had said he would call him. Maybe he really wasn’t here?

Finally reaching the doors, she shoved against the fire bar, leaning into it with far more effort than she ought to need as she shoved it open, stumbling out into the cool, crisp, tang of the evening coastal air. Shivering, feet cold on the ground where the paving gave way to the car park tarmac, she looked around trying to get her bearings. 

Signs. She needed a street sign, a name for a building, anything. She needed to orientate herself. Maybe she could steal a car? No, she didn’t have any keys, and didn’t know how to hotwire and hack the engines to work without a keycard fob. She just had to keep running.

Without pausing, she bolted. She didn’t even know what direction she was going in, but she just had to run. As far and as fast as she could until she could afford to stop and orientate herself. She could see the light of the crane she had seen from her window. She needed to head to the other side of it. If it was behind her, then she knew Sendak’s base would be too.

The sea was calm and silent on the other side of the sea wall, and she looked around as she ran, her chest and legs aching, breaths heavy and weary in her throat as she pushed and pushed along the road, looking for a turn off, watching the road signs.

Behind her she could hear raised voices and shouting, definitely more than just the four men she had seen in the building. Not letting herself stop, she dipped into a side alley, only turning when she could see that the pathway wouldn’t end up blocked, and tried to stick with the streetlights in her view as much as she could.

Nothing looked open, and there were no houses. The area was filled with a few offices, warehouses, and the forests of shipping containers stacked all around the buildings. She was already exhausted, but she kept moving. She had to get as far away as she could. 

When she started to stumble, Katie dipped down a side street, pausing for a moment to catch her breath. She’d made it this far. Just a bit further. If she could find an information board or a contact facility, that would be good, but she couldn’t stop to look. How far had she been able to run? 

Glancing once behind her, she couldn’t see the car park, or the front of the building she had escaped from, but the crane didn’t look like it had changed position much. She couldn’t hear those voices anymore, but it didn't mean they weren’t there.

With a grunt of pain, she forced herself back to her bedraggled running. She couldn’t think about it. If she worried about getting lost she’d get nowhere. Maybe she could think about somewhere to hide instead? At least until she had a better plan? No. If she stopped, they would catch up with her.

She was so tired already. Just something as simple as opening a few doors and limping along the hallways had been enough to drain what little energy she had left, but she kept going. She ran for what felt like hours. She could see the sun breaking into deep pink and purple as the beginnings of sunrise began to bleed across the night sky, and seagulls were starting to call out when she paused a second time between the buildings of an industrial street

Looking around the corner, it looked a bit more built up. There was a take-away with lights on across the road, a few other buildings––signs identified them as a hair-dressers, an industrial supply centre, and a mechanics, and she could see a road leaning out of the area towards a tall fence.

There was a sign beside it: ‘ _Port Thayserix Shipping Estate, Metropolitan City of Senfama_ ’ it read. Port Thayserix? That was two days from Marchanda! Thirty six hours on the gridways! She had passed it by enough times for holiday trips to know that much. Was she really that far away from home?

She was closer to the lake house in Bluve than home. Katie felt sick; the first time she’d left Marchanda without her family, and it had to be when a psychopathic arson terrorist was chasing her down. Great first trip away indeed.

Hugging the wall of the building she’d been sneaking along, she wondered if it was worth going across the road and trying to see if she could get help from the take-away. It looked open, and quiet. No customers, just a guy with long hair hunched over a book at the silent till. He looked bored. 

But was it safe? For all she knew, Sendak could have other members of his cult in the area that she hadn’t seen. He looked like a normal guy, but so did Bogh, and Sendak. Someone who looked normal could be anyone.

She glanced back across the road, trying to find any clues in the immediate area. She didn’t know how far it was to the main area of the city and Katie knew she couldn’t keep running indefinitely. She was exhausted, and the pain in her legs and feet was incredible. She was probably bleeding all over the road, leaving footprints behind her. Should she risk it?

Closing her eyes, she tossed the idea the risks back and forth in her mind for a few more moments. Then she started as the sound of hurried angry voices filled the still night air. Somewhere she sound of an engine going back and forth so repetitively that it had to be someone searching. Choking back her frustration, she flattened herself against the wall behind her, staying as small as she could until the van had passed.

How in fate’s name were they following her? She couldn't keep this up much longer. It was going to be morning soon. It was already getting light. She was losing the advantage of being in the dark. She looked back at the shop for a moment before taking another breath; closing her eyes for a second, she made her decision, and darted across the road.

The door was shut when she approached, and she had to heave it open; the man―with a long rectangular face, pointed nose and white hair under a fashion-statement pilot hat―started at the sudden crash as she all but fell in through the doorway, accidentally slamming it into the wall.

She staggered against the door, holding herself up on the handle as he stared at her. Gasping for breath, she could feel her legs starting to give out. The car was driving around somewhere, and she pulled herself inside as the man staggered to his feet.

“Fate’s mercies, you’re―” Footsteps scrambled and he rushed out behind the counter.

Katie tried to speak between the rasps of her breath and her words all but fell out of her as she stumbled and slumped to the floor. She was so tired. “I… help, please…” she managed to croak out as he tried to help her sit up. “…llowing me.”

Everything hurt. Her feet, her legs, even her chest as she strained to catch her breath after all the running that had worn her to the bone. She was exhausted, and it strained every muscle in her just to speak. But she had to warn him. She wasn’t. Safe unless she could get away.

“―Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he pleaded, trying to help her sit up. “I’m going to call the police, you’re going to be fine, just don’t pass out okay? ”

An arm reached out but she could help flinching from it, tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she instinctively put her hands up. 

“Whoa, it’s okay, I won’t hurt you,” he said, holding his palm up, calm, non-threatening until she felt a little more settled. “My name's Rolo.” 

Katie watched him, uncertain as he dug a phone from his pocket and tapped at the screen then held it out, showing her the digits on the screen. _555_. Emergency services number. He pressed the call button and she had to blink a few times to see the calling icon. He really was calling the police. 

“Katie, right?” he asked, putting the phone to his ear once she’d seen it.

She wished this complete stranger didn’t have a reason to know who she was, but her apparent fame (thanks to Sendak, no less) was helping her right now, so she nodded. “Katie,” she nodded. 

The sound of a door slamming started her back into paranoia, and she looked up, checking around again at the lifted counter walkway. Then out of the window. Had someone caught up with her already? The bottom of the window was blocked out with advertising and posters so she couldn’t see anything.

“…on’t know! But I think Katie Holt just showed up at my dad’s chip shop; Rhedus’ Crab Shack, Thayserix shipping estate,” Rolo said, phone up to his ear. 

“Following me…” she mumbled, slumping against the wall as Rolo talked to the emergency operator. He still wasn't listening. Was he only pretending to phone _555_? Or was her voice so dry and cracked that he really couldn't hear her?

“H-Her feet are bleeding pretty bad, and she’s really beat up and hurt,” the man said, finally catching her gaze and looking to the door. 

She could hear footsteps and shrunk back, shoving herself along the floor; she tried to look between the gaps between the posters.There was a car outside, a red van. Like a small delivery van. Hadn’t she seen one of those in the car park before? When Bogh had been carrying her around? She hadn’t seen one in the car park earlier though. 

“T-They’re following me!” she tried again

“I think…” he floundered, offering his hand out to her and slowly backing low back around the counter.

Katie’s stomach churned in dismay as she saw someone stalking past the window. She looked at Rolo, then through the window again, a sinking feeling in her gut. Maybe this had been a bad idea. She could see the end of the industrial estate. She could keep running, to an actual police station, fire station, a chain coffee shop. Somewhere else.

“She thinks someone’s following her! I think…” Rolo hissed into the phone, still holding his. Hand out, urging her to take it; he was nodding his head around the back of the counter. Looking behind it again, there was a doorway. “I think they’re outside!” 

Rolo might not be helping her at all. What if he was actually talking to someone who worked for Sendak? He could be leading them right to her!

“Yes! Thank you, y―”

Panic and adrenaline fuelling her, Katie made up her mind, and hurled herself as quickly as she could back towards the door before Rolo could stop her. 

“Hey! Hey wait! I’m trying to―”

Katie wrenched the door open, finding it less heavy than before. She ignored the cries behind her as she bolted forward, barrelling right into a solid wall that shouldn’t have been there.

“Finally.” 

No. 

Katie stared at the figure before her in utter dismay, before she turned to run past the counter hatch―there had to be a back exit!―only to find it blocked off by Bogh, who looked little worn, but otherwise no worse for wear, arms around Rolo’s neck and mouth as he kicked and struggled, the phone replaced carefully on the countertop..

No! No! No! No! No! She could feel the furious frustrated tears on her face as Sendak snapped an arm around her neck, pulling her back against his chest with as much ease as picking up a pillow. “Let me go!” she screamed her voice hoarse as he pulled her out of the shop. “No, let go! Get off of me! No! Hel―”

“Tie him up” Sendak snarled back over his shoulder, his hand crushing her mouth and muffling her voice as she yanked and clawed at his arm, kicking weakly as she struggled against the vice grip around her shoulders. “Then torch the place!”

Her stomach churned as hell dragged her out of the shop. Had Rolo been helping her after all? No, no, they weren’t going to kill him were they? Just because he’d seen her? No!

She kicked and pulled, digging her nails into Sendak’s arm, his face, bit his hand, anything she could as she heard a rolling door open. Macidus was holding the back of the van open as she was manhandled, and she caught a glimpse of Lahn sat in the front seat before Macidus and Sendak pulled her into the back between them. That white-haired woman was sitting there too, a high function datapad in front of her. 

She didn’t get much more than that small glimpse as she was dragged into the back of the van. Macidus rolled down the door behind them with a hard slam, banging a couple of times on the side as Sendak sat down, forcing her to follow.

“Have you got it yet?” He snapped at Macidus, taking hold of her wrist in one hand, the other still clamped around her mouth, hard, reducing her cries for help to low, weak sounds that hardly travelled through the back of the van.

“Give me a second,” Macidus replied, calm as ever as he rooted through what looked like a bag in the dim light. “I can’t see a damn thing.”

Katie wrenched and twisted in Sendak’s grip as Macidus scooted over, grabbing hold of her legs when she tried to kick at him and fastening them with the rope he’d pulled from the bag.

As he tied it again around her knees—she winced as it pulled on her skin through her leggings over the sores she already had, tighter than before—the back door rattled and Bogh returned with a torch; it burned and blinked her eyes, bright and ruddy against the dark backdrop.

Slowly the van started to move as he closed the door. The last she could see of the chippy before Bogh slammed it down, his phone-torch the only brightness, was the ruddy orange glow that had appeared in the windows, and the shriek of a fire alarm fading behind them.

“Hey, lend me your phone while I look through this thing again.”

Bogh tossed it through the air to him, the torch flickering as he took the rest of the ropes Sendak held up, pulling them back around her arms as Sendak held her wrists behind her. The smell of cigarettes had replaced the fresh salt of the sea air again, and she screwed her eyes close, trying to will away the revulsion and nausea and dread that came with it.

She’d failed. If she had just kept on running she could have made it. The engine of the hover van rumbled beneath them and she gritted her teeth, trying not to cry. She had been so close. She tried not to think about the orange glow that had emanated from the chip shop windows before Bogh slammed the van door down behind them.

Was he dead? Rolo? She wasn’t sure if he had been trying to help or if he had called Sendak, but she hoped he wasn’t dead. The fire alarm would call up the fire teams quickly, right? He’d already called an ambulance if he had been trying to help too. He might be okay. Unless… 

Unless Bogh had already killed him before starting the fire. 

Sendak shoved her onto her front suddenly, a knee or elbow pressed on her back, sparking pain on the burns and from their weight on her as Bogh helped him tie her wrists up, against her back again. Hard, enough to make her wince. Sendak’s hand was still clamped around her jaw in a bruising grip.

“Have you found it yet?” he snarled.

“Got it.” 

There was shuffling and she struggled, already knowing what was coming next. Someone grabbed hold of her ponytail, yanking her head back sharply, making her cry out, and shoved the rag back into her mouth, forcing it closed again and sealing her mouth up again. The tape pulled against her skin, wound over itself, insistent and unmoving.

Sendak huffed, and the pressure on her back was gone, replaced by the sting of a needle and the glare of a torch in her eyes.

Sendak’s face was incandescent, his smile cruel and curled in his anger. “You know, I almost thought we’d burned the stubbornness out of you,” he said as Macidus pulled the needle from her shoulder. “I’m impressed, actually. I didn’t expect something like this from you this late; Your father would be proud I’ll bet,” he sneered.

Katie cringed at his words; damn right her dad would be proud of her, in general—maybe—but hearing that from Sendak made her feel sick.

She could feel the sedative leeching the strength from her, fogging her mind, feel the haze of drowsiness again, but she didn’t have anything in her to try and fight it. She’d used her energy running, in her poor attempts to fight them off. She hadn’t even realised she had any left to take away with forced unconsciousness.

“I’d love to know how you did it,” Sendak mused, tying a blindfold around her eyes. Katie felt his breath against her ear, and she cringed as she felt herself being plunged back into a nightmare. “But we can save that chat for when you wake up.”

Her senses were consumed and overwhelmed again, dark to everything but the ropes pulled painfully tight around her, the sticky tack of the tape around her jaw, taste of fabric in her mouth, the scent of Sendak’s cigarettes filling her nose.

With the unpleasant words whispering over her ear, the hum of the hover van taking her to fates new where once more, and the final suffocating cover of the blindfold on her vision, the drug won out.

* * *

I'm sorry, but if you read Keith's POV you knew this was coming. I'm sorry, honestly. This chapter was a doozy to write for a variety of reasons. I really wanted to let her run free. I really, _really_ did. I nearly rewrote my entire plotline...

...But where's the fun in that?

Uh. Hope you enjoyed the chapter?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TL;DR**  
>  ❖Katie worries knowing there are only two days left before Sendak is due to call her father. She tries to have faith that her dad will do everything he can, but after remembering his blueprints, she has a feeling it wont be enough, and her fear of mutilation is enough to push her thoughts towards attempted escape, reasoning she'll probably be hurt either way, and at least if she tries, she has a chance.
> 
> ❖She reminds herself of her words again, and the promises in them of rescue, or some kind of reassurance, and begins to plan.
> 
> ❖Keeping her goal in mind she plays along when Bogh brings her food that day, and makes sure to eat and drink as much a she can to keep up her strength, then she waits, counting the time passing and using what she knows about his schedule until a few hours have passed.
> 
> ❖Using the screw hidden down her bra, she is able to grab it thanks to the way her hands have been tied in front of her with some struggling. It is difficult to angle her wrists and she cuts her hands in the process, but she manages to wear through the ropes on her wrists after some time.
> 
> ❖She pulls the ropes on her arms, knees and ankles off, then the gag, doing her best to avoid making noise. Her legs are shaky but she throws a blanket over the baby monitor then pulls out the battery until she can make a dummy, Katie-sized lump beneath her blankets, keeping a heavy duvet to one side behind the door.
> 
> ❖Katie puts the battery back in and, muffling herself with the rag again temporarily, tries to make noise as though she's choking during a nightmare. She hears footsteps on the monitor, and hides behind the door as she hears the key scrape. Bogh rushes in, swearing, heading for the dummy, and after hurling the duvet over his head to disorientate him and muffle the sound, she uses a wooden chair to hit him over the head a couple of times.
> 
> ❖She is worried at first, but he's still breathing when she pokes him, just unconscious. Searching him for the key, she realises its still in the door, and after taking his wallet, she locks the door behind her, using the route she had seen from her bathroom trips as a guide through the building.
> 
> ❖Behind her Lahn raises the alarm, and she runs for a doorway as fast as she can. Macidus joins in as she rushes out into a car park. she contemplates stealing one, but doesn't know how to hot wire or hack the engines, so just keeps running, trying to orientate herself and get as far away from Sendak's base as possible while she had the night as a cover to hide when needed.
> 
> ❖Dawn is starting to approach when she finally sees a sign, and learns she is in Port Thayserix, two days drive from Marchanda. she can hear a van and is worried she is still being followed when she finds a take-away. 
> 
> ❖Deciding to take a chance, she rushes in, much to the cashiers shock when she begs for help, nearly collapsing in the doorway, trying to tell him she is being followed and asks for help. The cashier identifies himself as Rolo, and when she backs away as he reaches out to her, shows her his phone as he dials 555 so that she knows he's trying to help.
> 
> ❖He gets through to emergency services as she hears a van somewhere parking up. She worries he's only pretending, and is actually a cult member. Hearing footsteps, she decides to run again, and bolts for the door, only to run straight into Sendak.
> 
> ❖' _Finally._ "
> 
> ❖Katie makes to run for the back exit she assumes the shop has, but Sendak grabs her and she sees Bogh holding Rolo similarly. Sendak commands him to tie him up and ' _then torch the place_ ' before dragging her out of the shop. He smothers her as she screams for help, struggling as he drags her towards a van. She sees Lahn and the woman with white hair (who is using a datapad) in the front seats.
> 
> ❖Macidus helps Sendak drag her inside and start trying her up again, this time with her arms pulled behind her again. Bogh returns and as he helps Macidus find the sedatives in the bags, she sees the building glowing red through the windows before that back shutter rolls closed. 
> 
> ❖' _You know, I almost thought we’d burned the stubbornness out of you; I’m impressed, actually. I didn’t expect something like this from you this late; Your father would be proud I’ll bet. I’d love to know how you did it, but we can save that chat for when you wake up._ '
> 
> ❖Sendak finishes tying her up with a blindfold as Macidus injects her with the sedative, and she blacks out as the van take off to a new location.


	14. The Wire Touched

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING:** This chapter contains psychological torture, psychological manipulation and examples of operant conditioning, PTSD, panic attacks, graphic description of physical torture, mentions and thoughts of suicide, and examples of a ' _Stockholm Syndrome_ ' dependency. This chapter may be unsettling for some people for who these themes/motifs are _genuine medical and mental triggers_ , and as such, I highly recommend and encourage reading the TL;DR provided in the notes at the end of the chapter.

Katie woke up still blindfolded, and with a foul, nauseating taste in her mouth from the gag. 

The only blessing to be found was that for a while her head was still so hazy that everything being dark didn’t phase her, because she couldn’t remember the implications of what that meant. 

She drifted in and out of sleep without any light to prompt her to wake, and she didn’t feel good enough to wake up anyway. She didn’t know how long it had been when the lack of vision finally started to bother her.

She came to, starting at the inability to see, panicking, yanking at her hands, trying to move her legs, shivering from the chill around her; the floor felt like stone and it was a welcome coolness for the throbbing migraine in her head.

Katie made the connection between the restraints and her blindness quicker the third time, perhaps because of how quickly the situation had become a familiar routine, or perhaps because even under the drugged haze, she managed to remember Sendak’s threats.

Her breath quickened in her throat around the gag, at first thinking that Sendak had done as he'd threatened, and burned her eyes out. After a while she realised that was wrong. She’d be in much, much more pain if that was the case. It was just a blindfold. She could feel the tight grain of the fabric pressing tightly against her eyelids, forcing them closed.

Aside from the obvious effects of the drug, the crushing weight of failure was the main thing that consumed her thoughts as she regained coherency; she’d always been ambitious but the need for success in her escape attempt hadn’t been remotely like the desire to succeed in achieving her master’s degree. 

Katie had been sure her life depended on it, and her one chance to reclaim her life had had been snatched away as quickly as her fate had been sealed when Bogh first grabbed her back at Voltedge.

As she came around, she realised she needed to work out where she was, but her tired attempts to pull the blindfold down, pushing and rubbing it against her shoulders, against the floor resulted in nothing but futility, and she sank in defeat against the stone. Or was it concrete? It was cold all the same, and she shivered, curling up as much as she could, trying to retain her body heat.

She was so cold. And thirsty. How long had it been? No one had come in to check on her like before. Had she been left for dead somewhere? Had Sendak given up on trying to extort her father with her life after her escape attempt? Had her dad completed the designs, and he’d just decided to let her die anyway?

She shouldn’t have tried to run. She shouldn’t have tried to escape. Bogh had been right. She had been safer just keeping her head down and doing what she’d been told to. Infuriated at her own stupidity, tears stung at her eyes, but she tried to hold them back. 

She couldn’t cry. She was so thirsty. How long had it been since she had anything to drink? She needed all the energy and water she had, but the disorientation, nausea, and lingering defeat were all she could think about, along with the penultimate question; what was going to happen to her now?

It felt like hours before she heard the sound of voices, footsteps, and the scrape of a lock. The footsteps grew closer, and someone slid a knife under the microfoam tape, cutting it loose, pulling it all off her sharply. A hand yanked on her hair and she cried out before they fished the rag from her mouth, shrinking, backing away

“Who’s there? She croaked out. “Hello? What’s going on? Please,” she begged, hearing the clink of metal; cigarette smoke filled her nose and she felt like she was going to choke on the fear bubbling in her chest. “Whoever’s there, I’m sorry!”

A breath full of tar and tobacco blew over her face and she shivered. “I’m sure you are Miss Holt,” an even toned voice said; whatever anger Sendak was feeling, she couldn’t hear it in the words, but shivered as she recognised his calm manner, shrinking back.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she croaked again. Her voice hurt to use. Her throat felt cracked and sore. Her jaw was aching. “Home… I wanted to—”

“Shh—” Sendak pressed a finger over her lips the fright in the simple gesture silenced her. “—it’s alright Katie," he said, his reassurance the kind that only made more of her tears soak into the blindfold. "I understand. I was just so shocked it took you so long to _try_ that it surprised me,” he said, his tone still eerily sedate.

There was an edge and bite in the words that suggested he was nowhere near as calm as he tried to sound; something clipped that told her to do as he told her. She had to stop trying to be smart; it wasn’t getting her anywhere. It was just getting her hurt and making things worse. Maybe if she actually did what they wanted, she’d have a chance. She should have just done that from the start.

Katie heard the metallic— _clink, clink, clink_ —snap of a lighter and the paranoia, the fear took hold, exploding as it echoed, close to her ear, and she felt the heat of flame against her skin, not touching, but close enough for the heat to itch and burn the promise of pain, and she screamed, trying to inch away from it. 

“I swear, I won’t do it again, I promise, I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” she sobbed, the tears soaking into the blindfold. “Please, stop I won’t do it, I swear! I won’t try telling anyone anything else, I won’t try to escape! Please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” 

“I’m glad to hear that Katie,” he said, voice a little clipped.

She could feel him moving, closer, and she froze, cringing away, flinching as he hoisted her up, leaning against a wall. Then she felt the spout of the water bottle press against her lips. What was he doing? What did she do? She was so thirsty but she didn't dare move. 

“Drink up,” Sendak prompted, the words clipped a little before he took a breath, and added, more calmly to his order: “You need to stay hydrated.”

Shivering, from fear, cold, or just from the crying, Katie did as instructed, first taking slow sips. It was hard—unlike Bogh who knew how to angle to her limited movements, and when to pull the bottle away, Sendak wasn't as versed, and a few times she yanked it back when she started to choke—but she managed, eventually drinking about half of the contents. 

“No more?”

She shook her head, catching the smell of cigarettes again as he leaned in close. She felt the blindfold being untied, but didn’t open her eyes. Silence stretched around her and her breath caught in her throat, waiting for something, fighting back the urge to look by pulling her legs up and keeping her head down, focusing on screwing her eyes closed.

His hand gripped her chin, forcing her head up and she heard the clink of a lighter again— _open, shut, open, shut, open, shut, click, click, click_ —beside her ear again. “You don’t want to see your new room?” he asked. 

It took everything her not to open her eyes, gritting her teeth through the flinching and stream of tears on her face as she shook her head. Finally, she felt his hand rub her cheek with mock comfort.

“Good girl.” 

The fabric was wrapped back around her eyes, dry fabric this time that wound several times, tight, and she relaxed a little as he tied it in place, the knot digging into the back of her head; Katie tried to find some reassurance in the disorientation, reminding herself that he couldn’t be mad at her for looking by accident if she couldn't see anything.

“Now,” he said once done, his hands lifting her chin a little less firmly, forcing her head up again. “Why don’t you tell me how you told the police where you were, and how you untied yourself?” he asked.

The lighter snapped again in her ear, and she screamed, jumping and feeling dampness in the dry blindfold, trying to find the words just to make him stop, but her tongue was heavy and unwilling from fear. it felt like her it had been lined with lead. If she told him he’d burn her eyes out, but she had to say something. What could she say? Katie knew she needed to be honest—he’d _know_ if she lied—but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. What if he blamed her dad for it?

“...’ll burn my eyes out…” she whimpered, too scared to manage anything else. “I want to go home… I’m sorry....”

Sendak huffed impatiently. “I did say that,” he said with less patience. She heard the flick of the lighter, caught fresh smoke under her nose, and his fingers slowly brushed back her hair. “And if you don’t tell me what you told the police,” he growled, breath shivering over her ear. “Who you’ve spoken to—” Katie felt heat encroach up against her neck before pain burst behind her ear, where he’d exposed her skin. “—and how you escaped, I’ll do that right now,” Sendak snarled. 

He twisted the cigarette slowly for a few minutes, dotting it up and down against her skin a few times, angling the cancer stick, holding her head against his shoulder as she cried and sobbed until he pulled it back, his hold of her chin almost crushing. A congealed smell of burned blood and the acrid plastic-like smell of hair filled her nose, and the nauseating sound of bubbling and curdled, burning skin dripped into her ears behind his promises.

“Do you want me to burn your eyes out Katie?” he asked calmly over her screams; she sobbed, shaking her head. “You’re going to do as you’re told from now on, and tell me what I want to know?” She nodded, and the grip on her jaw slackened.

Trembling, breath sticking in her throat, trying to get the sobs under control enough to get words out, Katie told him everything.

She told him how she’d found the screw in the first Marchanda and hidden it, but hadn’t been unable to use it at first. How she’d seen the Teludav Tower through the window on the back of Bogh’s shoulder before Sendak had blindfolded her. How she’d sent a message to her brother by talking about KBP.

She told him how she’d been able to work out where she was in the building when Bogh took her to the bathroom, tracked the checks on her, worked out how they were watching her, when they were watching her, and when they weren’t. She explained where she'd found the screw, how she had been able to use the way her hands were tied to get to access where she had hidden it in her clothes, and cut herself free.

She mumbled the words out, wishing she could see his face to judge how angry he was as she was given nothing but silence (but for a few prompts when she started to stammer, scared of the lack of response as she talked). Her voice stretched hoarsely as she told him how she’d knocked Bogh out.

She was crying again when she told him about getting out of the building; she knew she shouldn't tell Sendak this, that she ought to lie again, but she was scared. She didn’t want anymore burns. She didn’t want him to burn her eyes out. She was terrified of more pain, of worse if she didn't, and she just wanted it to stop. She _had_ to tell him.

She didn't want to hear his poison in her ear, or smell the cigarette smoke that choked her throat, or the smell of her own skin burning. She just wanted him to go, to leave her alone, and leave her to whatever reassurances she could trick herself into believing. She wanted to go home.

Her sobs were the only sound once she was done, before she heard a bemused hum. “You really are a brilliant woman Miss Holt, I’ll give you your praise where it’s due. I know plenty of people working for me right now who don’t have half the nerve, resourcefulness, or intelligence you do,” he said. “I’m even willing to give you a bye on that merit alone,” he added.

Katie lifted her head a little, slightly hopeful that the honesty had gone down a little more successfully than her futile attempt to escape had. “You're not going to hurt me again?” she croaked, hoping she was asking the question directly, trusting her covered eyes to direct her head in Sendak’s direction from the sound of his voice.

The water bottle pressed against her lips, and she took a few more mouthfuls, trying not to inhale them. “No,” Sendak said, once she’d swallowed. “Not yet at least,” he added, stilling her heartbeat with the insinuation in the reply. “I understand why you did it, and there was no harm done; you’re back now, in one piece, safe and sound without a scratch,” he continued, lowering her face-down back to the floor. “I’m really, genuinely impressed with your efforts, but we’ll have to see what your father has come up with. He’s had some extra time thanks to you, so he shouldn’t have any excuses for falling behind, but that’s on him.”

Extra time? How long has she been unconscious? How long had she been drugged for this time? Another week? Two? It was impossible to tell with Sendak's vague insinuations. 

“That said, I underestimated you Katie; that fault is mine, but I’m afraid I can’t have something like that happen again.” 

Her brief speculation was interrupted when he grabbed hold of her arms; they were already tied weren’t they? What was he doing? The grip on her wrists put a fresh alarm in her as he wound some more rope around them, and she stayed limp as he yanked on the rope. She had to take a few breaths, remind herself this wasn’t unusual. Bogh had tied her up like this time and time before. Sendak was just pulling them tighter around her wrists was all, and seemed to be adding to the restraints, presumably in paranoia she might escape again.

She heard some ruffling, and something pressed against her mouth—a rag. Scared to try and protest any more than instinct told her to, she let him cram it into her mouth and gag her again, wincing as he pulled the microfoam tape over her mouth, winding it tight until it pulled her skin. 

It was fine. Katie repeated the thought to herself as he yanked the tape around her jaw a final time. She could deal with this. The extra lengths of rope being pulled from her wrists to the one around her knees was new, but she could handle it. She knew what this was like already. It wasn’t going to kill her. She would be fine. She just had to get used to the blindfold. 

Then she felt the slip and coil, the wind of cord being pulled and loosely wound around her neck, and her brief moment of calm dissipated instantly. She screamed through the gag as it was tied off at the back of her neck, still loose, but nowhere loose enough for comfort, like a choker that hadn’t been tied tight enough, but still unpleasantly hugged her skin. 

Sendak tied the short length of rope to her hands, more taught than she knew was safe evidenced by the tug around her neck as he finished, then tightened the other length he'd tied to her knees to her wrists too, adding to the pull. It didn't make her spine contort into unnatural shapes, but the tightness in the cords pulled agains her throat with every shift, and panic that had previously only lived in her nightmares bled int a living horror.

He hooked a finger beneath her chin, lifting her face and Katie tried not to let the onset of another panic attack, the sensation the looped winds of cotton rope closing around her neck threatened, rise as Sendak loomed over her. She could feel his body heat, and tried to hold herself still, but even her fear-induced shakes reverberated, echoing around her neck as she cried, cased in, boxed in by the rope, by Sendak hovering so close she could feel the moistness of his breath on her face. 

“You’re not going anywhere without my permission Katie, but get out of that without strangling yourself…” he murmured pressed a knee on her back, over her bound hands, pulling on the noose with the action till her throat constricted and she cried into the snarling words. “…and I might just let you run free for sheer nerve.” 

She didn’t dare move, and sobbed as Sendak crouched over her, the tension pressing on her back tugging the rope around her neck.. 

“No more botched escape attempts.” Sendak said, like he was being encouraging, his breath burning on her ear, a hand rubbing calming circles on her shoulder that had her skin and body contract in revulsion, and shivering with fear as he whispered the last of his warnings. “The next time you try to run, and I _catch_ you—” he spoke the words as a certainty, a chilling promise that clawed the last of the fight out of her. “—your father will get a charcoaled body when he sends me his prototypes. Do you understand me?” 

Katie sobbed, trying her hardest not to shift, scared to move, to do more than lie prone and hope she didn’t kill herself by struggling.

“I asked you a question, Katie,” he prompted, tugging slowly on the rope wound around her neck; his voice laced with the eerie gentle tone still. The tightness put a fresh tide of fear in her, and she nodded, desperate for breath, desperate for him to get away from her. 

“Good, I’m glad you understand.”

Finally, he loosened the coils, removing his knee from her back, and she shuddered with relief, her sobs interrupted as she fought not to struggle, not to pull and tighten the rope around her neck. Even though she could breathe cleaner, the threatening texture resting ominously against her skin remained as slow, panicked shakes trembled through her muscles.

He stood up, turning his back to her. “Make sure she eats later,” he said to someone else.

“Is she really safe like that?” the second asked, voice a little shaky as Sendak’s footsteps stalked away from her. “What if she falls asleep?”

“As long as she doesn’t struggle, she’ll be fine.” Sendak shrugged. “But if you’re that worried, you can watch her. We’ll put her out again after we call her father.”

The door slammed, and several locks twisted under its echo in the dark, the sound a final announcement that returned Katie back to the choked familiarity of imprisonment and fear that had replaced everything else she knew.

* * *

Even after waking up, it was hard to judge how much time had passed. For hours, or what felt like hours, Katie didn’t dare move; it took her long enough to force herself to calm down, to fight down her first instinct to tug on the ropes and try to loosen them.

At first, she did, and the rope on her neck yanked. Someone must have been watching her because she heard footsteps, and they loosened it for a moment so she could breathe again until she calmed down.

She hadn’t thought Sendak could make things worse for her without causing her a greater physical injury, but she had been wrong. This was worse that the— _clink, clink,_ _clink—_ sound of the lighter that she could still hear, worse than the sound of the cigarette sizzling into her skin behind her ear.

This was constant, always present, and everything she woke up feeling when she had a nightmare. Every slight shift or movement tugged the ropes. It was pure terror brought into her waking moments, a suffocating, smothering, constricting fear that followed her all the time. She almost wished they would sedate her again. It would be better than this.

Time passed slowly, and she struggled not to move too much, but for the most part, she avoided it. The hardest part was not moving her legs. They tugged on her arms when she shifted, and the faintest shift of the noose was enough to make her scream and cry and panic until she could calm herself down.

She found a little relief by carefully shifting herself onto her side, shoulder pressing into the cold floor. Or was the room just cold? She felt like she was shivering all the time, but didn’t know if that was from the worry and fear to move or from the cold.

She didn’t know how long she had been awake. She was exhausted, but she couldn’t sleep. She moved in her sleep. Even before, when she’d slept propped up in the corner she woke up a little differently each time. She could kill herself if she fell asleep.

Katie would have been lying to herself if she claimed the temptation to yank on the ropes and get herself out of this misery permanently didn't come to mind. Because it did. She could save her dad from being extorted with her life by taking it away from Sendak herself. He was going to kill her at some point anyway.

She didn't though. Even if she did, Sendak would probably just send a load of pictures and blackmail him with her dead body instead, and that was arguably worse for everyone but her. No. Killing herself wouldn't help anyone and, however much of blissful escape the temptation presented, she didn't _want_ to die.

She wanted to go home. She wanted her freedom back. She wanted to see her family again. See her friends. Meet her brother’s kid, her soulmate. She wanted to get out of this horror story that had taken her fate from her, forget it had ever happened, and move on with whatever remained of her life. She wanted to _live_.

All her decisions had to be around that from now on. Forget escaping, forget being brave—her dad’s words rang in her ears and she felt like she might be disappointing him, but she couldn’t do it—and just tolerating things. She had to do what she was told, and only try to act or speak out if something was more likely to increase her chances of surviving.

It was the safest thing to do. 

**‘You’re safe now.’**

Her words still promised rescue. She had to try and believe that, tell herself that fate wasn’t passing her over because she hadn’t trusted that its plans for her were for more than turning her into a human bonfire. 

She needed to be patient. The police might have found her already before. Maybe. How was she supposed to know? They had just been thrown off when Sendak moved again. He’d found out too soon. They’d find her. Someone had to find her.

She just had to stay alive long enough for that to happen. That meant not making Sendak angry. No taking chances, no more pushing her luck (which had been on the shitty side for a while, and probably hadn't been worth trusting in the first place). She had to keep her head down, and hopefully not make things worse for herself.

After a while, she heard the footsteps again. The scrape of multiple locks. The door opened and closed. There was silence again, and Katie strained her ears, trying to work out if she could hear anything, if someone had entered the room. Then the door opened again, and she heard some shuffling around for a while. An hour, ten minutes? It all felt the same.

She did know there were footsteps, and she could hear dragging noises. Then it felt like someone was standing beside her, or crouching maybe? She had no idea, but they were close; she could feel the air around her face shifting to accommodate them, then there was a light touch on her shoulder.

“Katie, it's Bogh.”

She flinched, but relaxed a little at the more familiar voice, the less threatening touch. At least Bogh was relatively more reassuring than the others were. How long had it been since she heard a voice she actually trusted? Two weeks? Three? She couldn’t remember how long it had been since her last call with her parents. 

“I’m going to put some slack in this get-up and move you, then you can sleep,” he said, his hands touching her wrists where the noose was attached. “Okay?”

Was Bogh mad that she’d tried to escape too? If he was, Katie couldn’t hear it in his voice. It was a normal kind of calm. Not like Sendak’s voice had been. She was still too scared to nod, and let out a muffled whimper in agreement instead.

Bogh’s hand moved carefully, loosening the knot close to the back of her neck till the loop felt more like a necklace than a choker, then he scooped her up, an arm around her shoulders and one under her legs. She was set down on what felt like another mattress. He moved something under her head. Pillows maybe? She felt a little better with the support, and whatever it was, it was soft. She didn’t feel like she was going to move by accident again, and it gave her a little comfort.

She realised, thinking about how she's heard his footsteps before the door opened, that he’d left the room before returning; had Bogh been here since she nearly choked before? Had he been the one who loosened it so she could breathe again? Had he been in the room the entire time? She didn’t know if that was reassuring or not. 

On the one hand, it was kind of uncomfortable if he’d just been sitting there in silence, but at least someone was making sure she wasn’t going to choke—literally—by accident, and if she had to pick someone here to do that, then Bogh was still her first choice.

She didn’t want to be left alone. She’d rather be watched constantly than risk choking herself; before Bogh finished fiddling with the ropes on her wrists—the one leading to her knees was loosened a little too—she grabbed hold of his sleeve with as much strength as her restrained hands would give her fingers, clinging onto the fabric, hoping he understood her desperate plea for a little kindness. 

“I won’t go anywhere,” he told her, not shaking her flimsy grip away. “I’ll be on the other side of the room, okay?” 

She protested again through the gag, gripping his sleeve tighter. She didn’t want him to leave. She was scared. She wanted someone nearby. Anybody. She couldn’t have her parents or brother, or Romelle, her grandparents, or even her dog. Bogh was the next best thing.

He sighed, but she felt the side of the mattress dip, somewhere by her feet. “Alright, I’ll stay till you nod off,” he said quietly.

The tone was as gentle as the words; for the first time in a while, Katie believed him about something. She didn’t let go of his sleeve, but she felt a little more relaxed and felt like she might actually be able to sleep. She was tired, exhausted, but was silent, and with the support from the pillows, being taken off the floor, she felt a bit comfier. It was easier to blot everything out.

His fingers gripped one of her hands, and behind her back she clung onto them with one of her own, the other gripping his sleeve. The reassurance was insignificant and meaningless now, but it helped. Eventually, she let her fingers drop their grip, tiredness taking over from fear, and she felt Bogh pull something over her up to her shoulders. It felt like a blanket.

She didn’t know what time it was or how long it had been, but she hoped it had been longer than one day as she finally drifted off.

She tried to sleep through as much of the time that passed as she could, being woken to eat before she woke again, later, to a much less phantom nightmare of being suffocated and strangled that had Bogh beside her just like he told her, taking the constricting noose pulled during her sleep off her neck, cutting the gag away and letting her sob into his shoulder until the panic attack passed

It happened a few times, so it must have been a few days that passed. Or nights maybe. It could have been hours. She couldn't tell. Bogh never took her blindfold off, and she was too scared to ask him to. 

He just let her sob and gasp for breath and held her up so she could breathe fully, babble that she was sorry she hit him with the chair, sorry she tried to run, sorry she didn’t listen—Katie didn’t know if that was directed to him, her parents’ warnings and worries, or Shiro’s advice—and begged him not to let her choke. 

She cried and cried and told him she didn’t want to die. She didn’t want Sendak to kill her, to burn her eyes out, and pleaded with him not to let the psychopath to hurt her anymore. Each time he let her cry it out he told her the same thing: ‘ _I’m not going to let you die. I promise. You won’t get hurt. You’ll be okay._ ’

It was another lie, but she preferred Bogh’s lies to his honesty, and Sendak’s eerie truths. Bogh just meant he wouldn’t let her choke in the literal sense. She’d asked him already. He’d said she would either go back to her parents free or as a dead body, and Sendak probably preferred the second idea. There was no way he would let her go now. She was sure of it.

Bogh's lie was a kindness she was desperate and weak enough to cling onto to make what was left of her life tolerable.

She couldn't avoid the truth anymore. She’d been here too long, seen too much, even if she was blindfolded for what looked like the foreseeable future now. That was why she had to do what they wanted. Anything that made this last longer—as horrible as that sounded and no matter how much the thought made her feel sick with fear—was more time for someone to find her.

When Bogh tried to leave the rag out of her mouth she protested—‘ _he’ll be mad_ ’—and did the same when he asked her if she wanted to take off the blindfold while she was eating. Maybe they were trick questions anyway. She couldn’t take the chance. They were watching probably her on cameras again. Sendak would know if she didn’t do what he wanted her to.

She couldn’t help crying and rambling during the panic attacks but beyond that she couldn’t take the risk. She couldn’t take any more risks. They just got her hurt. She just had to survive. That was all she had to do.

* * *

So... this chapter exists. Um. That's all the clever remarks I have for this one.

Apologies for the delay. Personally, this was tied with another for the worst and (weirdly) the best to write, but editing and reading it back? It made me worried for my own imagination, and sanity. I also knew the TLDR would be nearly as long as the chapter, and I was honestly not looking froward to dissecting the relevant plot points for it due to said concerns for my own sanity. ~~Losing my AO3 progress on it extremely did not help.~~

If you've made it this far and are still with this story, **YOU'RE ALL DOING AMAZING, AND I APPLAUD YOU**. I genuinely think this is one of, if not _THE_ darkest chapter in this story, so if you made it thorough in one piece, I have faith that you can make it the rest of the way.

That said there will still be TL;DRs because I'm honestly not that brave myself.

~~Speaking of, I need to paste that in.~~

I don't think this chapter is one to be ' _enjoyed_ ', so I'll just leave off with the recommendation you find some fluffy fic and make hot chocolate. Or chamomile tea. Or cry over Disney films. or animal documentaries. Seriously, consider some self-care after this one. I'm going for the chamomile.

Till next time :)

* * *

> **TL;DR**
> 
> **✤** Katie awakens after being drugged, very discoordinated and detached from her surroundings, and at first, after regaining enough observation of her conditions, thinks Sendak has followed up on his threats to her eyes out until she realises she has just been blindfolded.
> 
> **✤** Her confidence had been completely crushed following her failed escape attempt, and her attempts to track time or learn about her surroundings are weak-willed. Eventually someone comes in, sitting her up and removing her gag, who she identifies as Sendak from the smell of his cigarettes.
> 
> **✤** Katie immediately apologises, explains she wanted to go home, and pleads with him, fearing his reaction, which he assures her he understands. He tells her he was just surprised by how long it took her, not that she tried to escape at all, but she can tell he is not pleased, and his calmness scares her.
> 
> **✤** Sendak snaps his lighter against her ear, and the sound instantly swallows her with fear, and she screams, promising she won't try to escape again, or try to communicate with anybody, and apologises again until Sendak offers her some water.
> 
> **✤** He ten tests her by removing the blindfold, inviting her to look around; terrified, Katie refuses, keeping her eyes closed until he replaces it again, much to his satisfaction. he take s hold of her face, then snaps the lighter on and off, demanding to know how she escaped and communicated with the police.
> 
> **✤** Katie is so scared she can't get the words out, and expresses her fear that he will blind her if she tells him. Sendak concedes that he did threaten her as suck, brushing her hair behind her ear as tells her that if she doesn't tell him what he wants to know, he will do so at that very moment, before twisting a cigarette burn behind her ear.
> 
> **✤** Nauseated from the smell and sound of her own skin being burned, Katie blurts out everything as best she can from talking to matt with KBP references, and everything about her escape
> 
> **✤** Rather than simply being angry, Sendak is ironically impressed, claims that he’s willing to forgive her that reason, and assures her that he won't hurt her again—' _not yet at any rate,_ '—as he understand her desperation, and believes ' _there was no harm done; you’re back now, in one piece, safe and sound without a scratch._ ' He tells her the rest depends on her father.
> 
> **✤** He removes her temporary relief by adding that he will not allow himself to make the fault of underestimating her again; to emphasise this statement, he loops a rope around her neck like a noose, fastening on end to her hands and a longer section to the rope tied around her knees. It doesn't make her contort, but too much movement becomes dangerous. 
> 
> **✤** The threat of suffocation and strangulation is immediately traumatising to Katie, as she connects it to the first time Sendak called her parents and did in fact strangle her, which has since made it a significant part of her nightmares and panic attacks, which she begins to slip into.
> 
> **✤** He deliberately puts tension on it, telling her that while he might let her run free for nerve if she can get herself free without strangling herself, if he catches her, he will settle for sending her parents a burnt body, until she confirms though her distress that she understands his threats.
> 
> **✤** As she tries to calm herself down, Katie dimly hears him talking to someone who is concerned about her being left in her current condition. Sendak is less concerned, suggesting they stay to watch her, and telling them they can just drug her again after they contact her father before the door locks behind them.
> 
> **❖** Time continues to pass without distinction for Katie; after Sendak leaves the room she struggles to calm down, and finds it hard not to follow her first instinct to resist the rope on her neck; this pulls it, and someone has to loosen it until she can breathe again.
> 
> **❖** The constant feeling of being suffocated being around her constantly is more unsettling than anything else Sendak has done to her, and she wishes they would drug. her again to get away from it. 
> 
> **❖** Katie is terrified to even sleep, knowing she moves around a little, and briefly wonders if it might be better to pull on the rope deliberately to get out of the nightmare, and free her family of the burden of being blackmailed with her life.
> 
> **❖** She quickly changes her mind, knowing that would just make Sendak's life easier by giving him a body to extort them with instead, and while it might give her a reprieve, it would be even worse for her parents. She also confirms after reflection that she _doesn't_ want to die, and resolves to just try and make any decisions that offer a chance of surviving. She remembers her father's words about her being brave, and feels as though he'd be disappointed in her, but feels that going along as much as she could with Sendak's demands is her safest option now.
> 
> **❖** She remembers her words, and reminds herself that they still offer a promise of rescue, and forces herself to believe in them again, telling herself to be patient, and not push her luck anymore.
> 
> **❖** After a while she hears noise, and then someone coming close to her; Bogh voices his presence, and tells he's going to loosen the noose and move her so she can sleep. Finally lifted off the floor, he puts her down on a mattress and some pillows, which provides a significant amount of relief for her.
> 
> **❖** She realises he has been in the room with her, and that it must have been him who had stopped her from choking before. 
> 
> **❖** After he lies her down, she grabs onto his sleeve, trying to ask him not to leave her by herself. He concedes, promising to stay until she falls asleep. Tired and exhausted, she begins to nod off, and he holds one of her hands as she does so.
> 
> **❖** After waking later she eats, then falls asleep again. Later again, she wakes up after moving in her sleep, exactly the situation she had feared. Bogh quickly reacts, cutting the rope slack and the gag off, holding her and letting her cry. 
> 
> **❖** This happens several times, though the blindfold keeps any sense of how often from her. Each time Bogh lets her cry and holds her until she can breathe, through her blurted apologies for hitting him with the chair, for trying to run, for not listening—which is directed to him, her parents and Shiro—and pleads to him not to let her choke.
> 
> **❖** She tells him that she doesn't want to die, doesn't want Sendak to kill her or burn her eyes out and pleads with him not to let Sendak hurt her anymore. He repeats the same lie each time—‘ _I’m not going to let you die. I promise. You won’t get hurt. You’ll be okay,_ ’—and she takes some comfort from it, thinking it better than his honesty, which has only confirmed her fear that Sendak was going to kill her. She imagines and accepts it as a small kindness.
> 
> **❖** Bogh makes a few suggestions to make the conditions more tolerable but she rejects them, fearing Sendak's reaction, terrified, sure that he's watching her, not wanting to make him angry, and not wanting to risk falling for trick questions.
> 
> **❖** The chapter ends as Katie resolves herself to not take any more risks, as all her previous ones have only ended up with her being hurt, and instead decides to aim for the slightly more acceptable goal of ' _surviving_ '.


	15. Pulled It Tighter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING:** This chapter contains psychological torture, psychological manipulation and examples of operant conditioning, PTSD, and graphic description of attempted physical torture involving the eyes. This chapter may be unsettling for some people for who these themes/motifs are _genuine medical and mental triggers_ , and as such, I highly recommend and encourage reading the TL;DR provided in the notes at the end of the chapter.

Time continued to pass unchecked and unlogged around Katie, until the dread in her stomach that lingered like lead lining.

She wasn't sure how long she spent just... waiting for something to happen. For Sendak to storm in and tell her he’d changed his mind, that he had finally decided that it would be easier to kill her now and bargain with her father for her body. It felt like weeks before her forced, dread was given a release with the sound of a phone alert.

It echoed through the silent room, and she heard Bogh rustling, his feet clacking across the floor. She could feel his body heat as he crouched beside her. 

“Sendak’s calling your father,” he said putting a hand on her shoulder.

Her breath hitched behind the gag, and Katie couldn’t help the nausea that bubbled with the words. Did she have to be there? Nothing ever good happened when Sendak called her dad. She was almost starting to dread the calls. Even if it meant she could talk to him, to her mum, her brother, see them, one way or another it always went wrong in the end.

“I’m going to take you through now.”

She predictably didn’t get much choice in the matter as Bogh lifted her up, holding her against his shoulder rather than over it. Out of habit, she tried to pay attention to which way he was turning. It helped her think about something else instead of what was coming.

She was worrying too much. Her dad would have had help. He would have managed. The police would have done something. They had to. They couldn’t let her dad just make a mass murder tool for terrorists. Keith, that police guy had been right—she wasn’t worth that. So they had to have something planned, right? They were just trying to buy time until they could find her. That had to be it.

Bogh set her down in a chair, and someone unfastened the rope attached to her arms and neck. She was seated right into the back of the chair, held in it by a rope around her waist, and someone grabbed her legs, pulling them underneath it. 

The rope that had held them behind her was dragged up behind the back, and the sudden weight around her neck as the noose tensed told her it had been tied to the one attached to her neck. She could hear a lighter clicking back and forth, and she shivered at the sound, trying not to jump, trying desperately not to move.

“Did Bogh tell you what’s going on?” Sendak asked her, his voice close, like he was bending down towards her.

Katie nodded, shivering as the lighter snapped again. Just the sound of it was enough to make her eyes sting and water behind the blindfold, an unwanted metallic dance in her ears.

“Good,” he said. “It’s been exactly a week since I was supposed to call your father, so I’m expecting good results from him.” 

Katie felt his hand on her face and shrank back a little, trying to think about what he had just told her instead of the sickening touch; a week? Did that mean it had been three weeks since she spoke to her dad? Including the time since their last call?

“I’m going to take this off you, but you’re to be quiet while we talk,” he said, brushing his thumb over her cheek where it caught the edge of the microfoam covering her jaw. “Then, as long as your father has done what he was asked, you can speak to him for a while, like before,” he told her. “I’ll be watching you the whole time, so you’re going to behave this time, aren’t you Katie?”

He didn’t touch the rope on her neck, but she felt it all the same, the suffocating threat and the reminder. Hugging her legs underneath the seat of the chair as much as she could, Katie nodded again quickly. It was hard to do. She was suddenly conscious of how heavy her own body was in general, especially her legs

There was some rustling and then he cut through the tape, pulling it from her face more carefully than he had the last time, removing it along with the rag in her mouth. She took several deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm, but said nothing as she heard the tapping of a keyboard, then the ringing of the video call trying to connect.

It went on and on for a while—and for a moment she panicked; what would happen to her if Sendak couldn’t get into contact with her dad?—before finally, Sendak’s voice cut through the silence and announced that it had gone through.

“You’re here, good,” he said curtly, more irritated and angry than he’d shown moments before. She tried not to flinch at the sound; every tiny movement made her jerk and shift made the rope tug around her neck. “I’m glad you got my message in time.”

‘ _Why does she look like that?_ ’ that was her dad’s voice. He sounded scared, and worried ‘ _What happened? What did you do to her?_ ’ he demanded.

Katie stiffened as she felt Sendak’s hand lifting her chin up, tuning her head. “Go on,” he prompted. “It’s alright; you can tell him,” he said, his encouragement an uncomfortable contrast to the tone he’d used with her dad. “Tell your father what you did, Katie.” he tilted her chin a little more, his voice harder by a fraction, and she felt the ropes move, tighten, constrict as much as the threat did.

No, this wasn’t fair. She didn’t want to tell her dad. She didn’t want him to know she’d failed, and she felt sick but she couldn’t breathe with her head tilted like this. She had to tell him.

“I-I managed t-to cut the ropes off,” she gasped “I t-tried to run,” she sniffed, breaking into sobs, trying to catch her breath—it was getting harder to breathe. “I’m sorry dad!”

“Shh—” Sendak’s fingers clamped over her mouth, and her head dropped loosening the pull on the noose. “—that’s enough from you for now.” Trying not to let out too much noise as her sobs caught in her throat, Katie nodded, and Sendak dropped his hand from her mouth. “The plans Mr Holt.”

There was a quick ping as her father presumably did as instructed.

“Thank you, I apologise for the delay, but it’s given you an extra week, so I’m sure that made up for the problems on my end.” Sendak paused. “For Katie’s sake, I sincerely hope you haven't wasted it.”

Katie bit her lip trying not to flinch at the tone, the memory of him asking her how she’d spoken to the police, the threats and promises he’d hissed in her ear—‘ _Do you want me to burn your eyes out Katie?_ ’—as he clicked around on the computer, and as she listened to the tone in his voice as he spoke to her father.

It was going to be fine. It would be okay. Her dad wasn’t an idiot. He was a genuine tech genius. That was how he’d got freaking rich. He might not be an expert in microtech but he would have been able to work it out. 

He wouldn’t let Sendak hurt her. She was going to be fine. The plans would be—

“I’m disappointed Mr Holt,” he said. “I thought we were both communicating well on this issue, that you had an understanding of what would happen to your daughter if you lied to me.”

—No. No! She heard him wrong. He was just trying to scare her dad, that had to be it. He was trying to scare them both. She felt the chair she was in moving and her breath quickened. What was happening? What was going on? What were they doing?

‘ _Lie? No! No, I haven't lied to you! What are you talking about? I don’t understand what’s wrong!_ ’

“You told me two weeks would be enough to make more significant progress. I see very little that has changed with the designs.” 

The rope around her neck slackened, snapped and cut from her feet, and they dropped among the rungs of the chair like lead as her head was tilted back. No, no, no, no, no. no. This wasn’t what she thought it was! ‘“No please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please, don’t!” she begged. 

Sendak ignored her.

‘ _Please, please! I swear it wasn’t a lie!_ ’

‘ _Sendak, he’s telling you the truth! Mr Holt has been working day and night on these. He even had an assistant help him when he was struggling even though he knew letting someone else know of the plans might be dangerous. He’s trying to do what you’ve asked him! Don’t punish Katie for his failure at something he’s never had to do before!_ ’

Her dad’s pleading and the police guy’s imploring words were not reinforcing Katie’s attempts to assure herself; she felt the blindfold being tugged down around her neck and after blinking around in the dim evening light—which was still a tad too bright for her eyes—her blood ran cold as she caught a glimpse of Bogh, pale and grim faced above her, holding her head back and her shoulders against the chair. 

"Don’t do this, please! Bogh please, please!” she tried. He’d told her. He’d _promised_ she’d be okay! “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she tried, and in finding nothing in his face as response, she looked to her right, catching a glimpse of the screen “Dad! Dad!”

“Perhaps you’re right Mr Hawkins, but you did hide something, collectively, didn’t you?’ Sendak said; her stomach churned as she watched him screw a gas canister into a cooking blowtorch. “I told you if you lied to me, I would burn your daughter’s eyes out.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please, stop,” she sobbed. Sendak flashed the flame on the blowtorch a few times, testing it until it stopped spluttering and ran continuously. “I’m sorry dad, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tell him, I’m sorry!” she choked, yanking and writhing as Bogh held her. “Please! Stop!”

“Your daughter is very determined Mr Holt, I’m impressed she was able to come up with such an obscure way to send her brother a message,” Sendak said, switching off the torch once happy with it and walking around behind her chair. “But it doesn’t change the fact that he lied in his broadcast, that you lied about your progress, or Katie’s own poor behaviour lately. I think I need to remind you of the consequences of your actions as I warned you in our first meeting.”

She could hear the clink of the canister against the frame, and kicked up her struggling against Bogh’s grip on her when he moved to make room for Sendak. Then he pulled on the plait her hair had been tied back into—who had done that? Had Bogh done it? When?—forcing her to look up again. If Sendak had been sneering down on her, it wouldn’t have been so terrifying, but his face was completely calm. She caught a flash of the torch nozzle and cried fresh tears.

‘ _Please, don’t do this!_ ’ her father begged through the computer speakers; was he crying too? She couldn’t see anymore. ‘ _Please, I just need more time to work out how to make the Trayling barrier synchronise properly! It’s not my specialty, I’m not familiar with new microtech technology, I need more time, that’s all! Please! Please, don’t hurt her!_ ’

 _Trayling barrier?_ No, no, no, no, no! she had to do something! She had to make Sendak stop! She couldn’t sit back and let this happen when her dad was watching! No!

“Wait, please, it’s not his fault!” she screamed, dropping her forced docility and agreeability in desperation “Wait! Please! Wai—” Sendak’s hard calloused fingers clamped and smothered her jaw, keeping her held back and silencing her as he continued to talk to her father.

“If Katie hadn’t had the foresight to be honest when I asked her again if she had told you her location, I would be much less willing to keep negotiating with you on this matter Mr Holt,” Sendak snarled. “But if you can guarantee that you’ll be able to fix your design issues in the next two days, then I’ll wait. If not…” he clicked on the blow torch, and the flash of the flame so close made her shriek though his grip on her. “...then my check-in in two days will be to find out if your daughter will be forfeit her tongue as well as her eyes.”

‘ _I… I don’t… that’s impossible, please, a week, maybe, but —_’

“My offer is for two days and no more. Yes or no, Mr Holt.”

The flames dipped lower, close enough now that she could feel the heat on her face, warm, but not yet warm enough to burn. Yet. It was still too close and she screwed her eyes shut, screaming and screaming, trying to get Sendak’s attention, trying to wrench her mouth free.

‘ _Please just give me a little longer!_ ’ her father begged, his voice choked. ‘ _Please!_ ’

Sendak sighed. ‘ _I’m afraid that’s just not acceptable,_ ’ he said.

The flame hissed and flared as Sendak lowered it towards her. With a scream, she managed to loosen his grip on her jaw and bit down into his fingers, hard. Hard enough to taste copper in her mouth and make his own yelp of pain replace her own.

The blowtorch clattered to the floor, and she let her bite go, spitting the blood out as Sendak swore. He bent to pick it up again. She could hear her father shouting at her but she was more concerned with the enraged calm in front of her.

“I can do it!” she gasped before Sendak could turn away and pick up the blow torch, or get someone else to do it. “I can fix them, I can fix the designs!” she pleaded. 

Sendak froze, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Beside him, Bogh was equally stunned.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded. 

“There’s nothing wrong with dad’s designs, it’s the Heximite!” she rambled “It’s molecular structure is larger than a Trayling particle barrier is built to cope with! It needs a different one, a Vlexagane barrier,” she said, her voice shaky. “That’s the best one to keep molecules that size contained.”

‘ _Katie? Katie, honey, what are you talking about?_ ’

She had their attention. That was all she needed. She could help her dad. She could buy time. If she was smart—since she really couldn’t seem to help herself from getting nose-deep into things she probably shouldn’t—she could maybe even stop this disgusting warp of her dad’s neutralisers from ever hurting anyone. 

“How can you possibly know what’s in those plans?” he asked—that voice was dangerous. It was the low grumble that she’d head when Keith had been hanging up on him during the first call.

“Just because I can’t see, or move, or talk doesn’t make me deaf,” she said carefully. “I’ve been listening to you, haven’t I? I heard dad just now! And the last time you called him; I saw the plans after Bogh burned me too. Not all of them, but they were on the screen behind the video call window. They looked weird then, but I knew what they were…” she looked at the screen, the shock and relief and dismay on her dad’s face. Then she looked back at Sendak. “…and a Trayling barrier _isn’t_ going to work.”

‘ _Katie, no!_ ’ her dad protested over the call. ‘ _Katie! Sweetheart you don’t have to —_’

Sendak reached over and pressed a button on the keyboard. She could see her dad calling out on the screen, but couldn’t hear anything. He’d muted the sound. He was also still watching her, a little bit of recognition in his eyes. “You understood all that?” he checked, not quite doubting, but unsure too. She still had his attention though.

“You're the one who had me kidnapped; shouldn’t you know what my job is if you had Bogh follow me for two years?” she asked. “I’m a microtech engineer!”

Sendak glowered at her, picking up the blowtorch from the floor, tossing it up and down in the air, watching her for a while. He snatched the blowtorch from the air. “Is she?” he asked Bogh.

Bogh started at the question. “I never thought about it, but I sat through enough of those classes with her to recognise the language,” he said without hesitating. “And she _was_ two days off her masters; she was worried about Mr Holt not being able to make the deadline before she tried to run too. She’s telling the truth.”

Sendak continued to stare at her clicking the blowtorch on and off for a moment. Each flare made her shudder, and she couldn’t take her eyes off of it as the flame flashed. On, off. On, off. Like the clink, clink, clink of the lighter.

Then he got to his feet, and flicked the switch. She screamed when he yanked her head back by her hair again, pulling on the messy weave. She could hear the roar of the flame in her ear, close, hot enough to build up the warm tingle on her cheek to an uncomfortable itch, turning to a sear without a touch of the flame on her skin.

“I’m not certain I should trust you Miss Holt,” he said after a long moment of more silence. “You’ve already caused enough problems.”

“I’m not lying, I swear!” she begged, tears streaming over her face, chest heaving, trying to breathe through the panic. “I swear! I’m not passing a message! I’m not trying to escape again! But I can help! My dad _needs_ help, please! Just let me help him! Please! Please!”

“And why should I believe you?” he asked. “You’ve tried both already. What’s to stop you a second time?”

She could hear the flame, see it inching over her face and choked back a sob, screwing her eyes closed. “Because I don’t want to die! I don’t want to lose my eyes! I don’t want to get hurt again!” she sobbed. “I just want to go home!” The sound rushed, flaring in her ear, began to sting, and she screamed again. “I’ll help, please, please, please, just stop!”

Nothing happened. Katie braced herself, waiting for the burning sensation to continue, for something, for pain to rush into her eye. For something to happen. But there was nothing. Only the clack of a keyboard.

“Your daughter is very impulsive, isn’t she Mr Holt?”

Katie tentatively opened her eyes looking at the screen, wincing at the brightness and, the sting in the back on her neck. Hot tiny specks were pressing against her cheek and her hair hung in her face as she shakily lifted her head.

The back of her neck was stinging a little, but not the way it did when Sendak had pressed the cigarette behind her ear. It felt hot, and sore, but not like something had burned through her skin. She looked around, watching the screen, trying to work out what was going on.

Her dad was leaning on a desk, staring at the screen. She could see him shaking, and he’d obviously been crying too, but he looked relieved. Scared, but relieved. What had happened? Had Sendak changed his mind? 

“But perhaps her suggestion might help both our predicaments," he said, flipping something back and forth in his hands. She couldn’t see well. The screen was so bright, and her eyes were stinging as much from crying as her throat was from screaming. “You’re struggling, and I’m not happy with the progress you're making, but if Katie has the knowledge required to help you, perhaps we can maintain our arrangement without any need for extra motivation.”

‘ _What suggestion?_ ’ her dad asked shakily. ‘ _Katie! What did you tell him?_ ’

She froze, unsure if she ought to keep talking. She wasn't sure if she wanted to test Sendak’s temper a second time, and bit her lip to keep her tongue in check. 

Sendak looked towards her for a moment, his face the picture of calm as always, with something satisfied in it. “Katie offered to help you with your work Mr Holt,” he said, turning back to the screen. “Bogh tells me she’s qualified to do so, and I trust his… expertise,” he explained. “As long as she’s supervised, you’ll even be in contact with her more until a prototype drop can be arranged, as long as you’re willing to let her assist you.”

‘ _And..._ ’ her father asked. ‘ _...And if I didn’t want Katie to be involved?_ _’_

Sendak turned back towards her, grabbing her hair––that’s what was in his hand, he’d burned her hair off, and it was hanging in her face now—and scrunching it to a painful grip in his hand, and flicking the torch back to life. “Then we proceed.”

“Dad, please!” she begged, trying to yank her head away from the sound, the head, squirming against the grip. “Please, please just—”

‘ _Alright! Alright! I agree! I agree! Stop, please!_ ’

The flame died with a simple click of the handle and Sendak dropped her head. She sagged against the ropes in relief, shuddering for breath, as the chair was moved back towards the screen again. On the one next to it, Sendak had already opened the files her dad had sent.

“Then for now, you and Katie can work out what you need help with,” Sendak said, pushing her chair closer. “If you need more than an hour, that’s fine. Any time less is for your leisure.” He made a few clicks with the mouse and a clock appeared in the top right-hand corner of the video screen.

‘ _Katie? Katie, honey, talk to me._ ’ Her dad coaxed gently. 

“I-I’m sorry…” she sniffed. “...I told him what I did, and I tried to run but it didn’t work and… I’m sorry dad. I knew you… I didn’t… I shouldn’t have done it; the fire… I think Bogh killed hi—” 

Something clicked behind her, by hear ear and she screamed, starting at the noise. “What was that?” Sendak lifted her chin up. “Don’t you remember what we talked about earlier Katie?”

He flicked the lighter on and off again, and she did her best not to shake, nodding furiously. “I didn’t mean it, it was an accident!” she swore, choking on the panic. “I won’t say anything,” she mumbled. “I really won’t, I swear on my words I won’t!”

Sendak sneered at her for a moment—maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned her words but the phrase just blurted out—before he finally dropped his grip on her face, and disappeared behind her after clicking the timer, the ailing count of the numbers as they started to drop booming in her head as he scraped a chair across the floor.

Feeling like she had some privacy, she looked back at the screen; her eyes were starting to get used to the light on it again. Frankly she was still a bit shocked that her mad gambit had paid off, that Sendak was allowing this.

“Dad?” she checked.

‘ _I’m still here honey_.’

“I’m sorry, I can’t…”

‘ _Katie, you don’t need to apologise; Not for any of this. Whatever Sendak made you say, or do, I know you didn’t want to,_ ’ he smiled. ‘ _Come on, tell your old man what tricks I need to make this microtic mumbo jumbo work,_ ’ he urged. She could see the police guy whispering something to him. ‘ _Then we can talk, and I can work on getting you out of that hell hole._ ’

At least her dad wasn’t by himself. Someone was trying to help. She could have sworn he gave her a quirk if a smile, and hidden thumbs up as he put a hand on her dad’s shoulder, but she was probably just squinting too hard.

Taking a shaky breath, she nodded and looked back at the blueprints. They were blurry, her eyes were stinging. She couldn't see it properly. Was it too bright? “Bogh?” She called out, wondering if he was nearby. She’d lost track of him.

“Hm?” He grunted from somewhere behind her, before appearing beside the chair. “What is it?”

“Can you turn the screen brightness down?” She asked. “And wipe my face with something? Please?”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “Sure princess.”

He fixed the brightness first, then wandered off as she examined the details on the screen before returning with a cool damp cloth, wiping her face of the salt and sweat and tears clogging it up. Taking another breath, she looked back at the screen.

She could see a little better and after double checking everything, running it through in her head—with a few probing questions to her dad about a few connections and drivers he’d used, getting Bogh to change the diagram angle on the screen—before turning back to the screen.

Her dad had his datapad out, his 3D model on display, glasses on his nose. He could have been working on something back at home like he used to when she was younger, before her Wordbomb dropped, answering all her irritating questions about what did what, why did it do that, and what did that do? 

‘ _Okay honey, take your time,_ ’ he said, his tone calm, reassuring. ‘ _Whenever you’re ready._ ’

She took a breath. “The Trayling barrier won’t work,” she said starting from the beginning.

‘ _A Vlexagane barrier, you called it earlier, right?_ ’ he checked. ‘ _I’ve… heard of it?_ ’

“It's new. Really new. The not public released yet kind of new.” She nodded, pausing and glancing at Bogh for a moment before turning back to her father. “It’s the only one that I can think of that would maintain its density in a frame the size of the neutralisers,” she said. “But it’s not just that…” she glanced back at the other screen, refreshing her memory, checking the boxes in her head as she listed, calculated what was missing. “...you need to change to dynotherm filters, and put in a thermo-magnetic oscillator, and a molecular reflection array…”

She listed off everything she could see, quickly, over the taps of her father’s datapad pen on his screen, his questions and checks as the timer echoed silently, counting down in the corner of the screen.

* * *

After the call, Katie found herself carried back to her new prison room—wherever it was Sendak made sure to blindfold her again after she was done talking to her father. 

Bogh didn’t waste any time tying her legs and arms and neck back into the rigmarole from before the high-tension call, but at least he tied some slack into her arms so it wasn't quite as fierce as what Sendak had done. The set up still yanked her arms (and by extension her neck) if she moved too much, but she could lie on her side in a little more comfort.

Ha. Comfort. Katie wasn’t sure she could really remember what that felt like. She felt like it had been far, far longer than a month since anything had been remotely close to comfortable, and that scared her. 

Bogh remained ignorant to her initial protests to the additional restraints—‘ _Keep making a fuss and I’ll let you choke until you shut up Princess_ ’—but for a warning as she thrashed, trying to avoid it before his tone made her pause and let him finish.

Sendak was bad enough. It sounded like one of Bogh’s over exaggerated exclamations, but he sounded irritated, and she couldn’t take the chance when so far Bogh was the only person who’d shown her anything close to mercy.

She didn’t even have any of his sarcastic commentary to grunt at—he was unusually silent after sitting back down across the room—and Katie was left to whatever devices she could come up with, which were chillingly and infuriatingly limited.

In all honesty, she was kind of glad he wasn’t chattering away. She still felt uneasy and unsettled from the start of the call. She kept thinking she could see the flame of the blow torch or hear the click of Sendak’s lighter echoing behind her, and the sting at the back of her neck where he’d burned her hair off throbbed.

It wasn't like the other burns. It was just surface irritation. Bogh had told her that at least, and put a bit of cooling gel on it before his silence started. It hadn’t hurt, so she didn’t think that had been a lie. 

The tingling felt like it could have been more though, and the thoughts and memories swirling from the experience put her on edge. It didn’t help that despite Sendak’s willingness to take advantage of his hostage’s skill set, it didn’t look like he’d changed his mind about relaxing her captivity as a result. 

She was being kept in the dark, and not just metaphorically anymore. 

She had been blindfolded for a week now, and that didn’t look like that was changing soon. Katie hated it. If the call had convinced her of anything, it was just how much she hated this. How much she wanted to go home. Sendak might have just been trying to scare a lie out, but she had told him the truth about that; she’d give or do anything just to go home.

She hated the ache in her muscles, the pain from the burns, being gagged constantly, being drugged, the constant feeling that she was trapped, being suffocated. She also hated not being able to see anything. 

Time dragged and passed in strange ways when her eyes were kept from her, and sleeping through it unfortunately didn’t last forever. Nor did it really provide much comfort. She had newer nightmares now, and a few times when the darkness wrapped around her eyes had lulled her off, she had woken up choking.

Sleeping had no rest in it, or use, so she tried not to. Instead, Katie drifted in and out of consciousness, trying to listen to anything she could hear beyond the door and walls, but all she could hear was Bogh’s silence, the occasional rustle of movement as he shifted elsewhere in the room.

She was still being watched too. Fully this time. She hadn’t heard Bogh move from the room once. She didn’t think he even left to get her food or water anymore. When the door had opened she never heard his footsteps moving far, if they did at all. She did hear new ones that definitely weren't his. They were too light to be Bogh’s. She kind of wanted to try and see if she could shift the blindfold, get a new bearing on her location, but she was all too aware of the noose around her neck again, and didn’t dare move. 

She couldn’t risk it. There was no way. She’d already risked enough with her mad volunteering urge during Sendak’s call with her dad. The burnt, singed together strands of hair that brushed across her face were the evidence of just how close she had been to immediate and permanent, serious injury. If Bogh hadn’t backed her up... 

Katie didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to be grateful either but she had a feeling the only reason Sendak had decided to indulge her was because of his assurances. She didn’t know if it was deliberate or not—probably not—but he’d kept his promise. She’d made it through. She was still alive. She was okay, for now. She didn’t want to be grateful, but she was.

Despite her reluctance to make any more major gambles—and the uncomfortable realisation she had Bogh to thank for her lack of permanent maiming—Katie didn’t think it had been the wrong decision to make. Indeed, it had been the only thing she could do, and the results were better than the alternative. 

It had been the only thing she thought might make Sendak pause at the time, but for once, Fate had given her the good side when it had flipped its coin, because it had worked. She still had a chance to make it out of this. She didn’t think she could make the same gambles as before, in fact, she was almost certain that wouldn’t be in her best interests, but she had a chance. 

She just had to be careful, patient, and wait. Like she had been. It had almost worked once already. Twice even. Even if helping her father just resulted in stalling for time, that had to be worth something, right? 

It was something to think about in the dark as time dragged on, broken only by meals and toilet breaks with the bucket she was handed, until finally, she had woken up from another short doze, she heard footsteps beyond the door. Bogh got to his feet and then she heard the locks clack as they were released from the latches, and another now-familiar set of footsteps entered the room. 

There was those footsteps again, more distinct this time—she could a clack of heels—behind Sendak's but Katie didn’t have time to contemplate the noise; instead she flinched as he lifted her up, slumping her back against a wall. She had to try and keep still so that she didn’t start tugging or choking herself, which was easier said than done when the scent of cigarettes—an unpleasant burnt smell on his breath—was the only real warning she got about her proximity to her captor. 

There was something else in the room too. The smell of something floral, musky—perfume? It smelled like one of the ones her mum used for business dinners that cost more than her mortgage deposit. Not her everyday sweetpea and freesia preference, something a bit more cloying and permeable, that sunk into the air at dinner parties and business functions.

The smell mixed with the as-yet-unheard clink she was starting to fear more than anything else, and she shivered, waiting for the noise as Sendak grabbed her chin. He was looming over her. She could tell from the proximity of body heat too. 

“Your father sent some questions about the adaptations you told him to make,” he said, voice even as he unfastened the rope on her neck. That didn’t mean anything though. He could maintain an even tone through a lot of things that would make most normal people sick to even think of. He’d talked about burning her eyes out like it was a banal chore akin to the washing up or changing the bedsheets. “I’m going to read them out to you, and send him a recording of your responses, understand?”

So that was how they were going to try and limit her information flow. There would have to have been some way. She couldn’t really see Sendak just letting her talk to her father so openly again without trying to limit her contact with him, especially not now that she'd revealed how much she'd picked up without his realising, and her obvious escape efforts. He wasn't so stupid as to put any trust in, or underestimate, her.

Was this going to be her only contact with her family now? Katie tried not to think about that possibility too deeply, and nodded reluctantly. She didn’t have any choice. If she wanted to buy herself more time, she had to. 

With her agreement (if it really could be called that) Sendak began to cut away the gag, and Katie cringed at the flat of scissors or knife—probably Bogh’s pocket knife—when it slid slow and cold against her skin. The tape was pulled sharply from her face once cut. It stung, but she was used to that now, and instead spat out the rag as best she could before it was pulled away properly.

Sendak made her have some water first, but that was a welcome relief before the task she'd given herself began.

He read out her father’s questions from a list, and she answered each individual query with as much detail as she could. Or as much as she could without her reference eBooks or research materials to fall back on, or even the blueprints themselves. 

Sendak refused to remove the blindfold, no matter what she half-suggested to him about it making it easier to visualise. After the fourth time she tried to ask, he snapped the lighter against her ear, and once the resulting panic from the repetitive sound had passed, he told her in no uncertain terms that unless her father continued to run into the same problems, she wouldn’t be seeing anything.

Katie didn't think he meant metaphorically at all. So, she couldn’t see the blueprints, and had to rely on whatever outdated version of them she had seen during the call. Katie wasn’t sure how it was going to work out, but she did her best to answer her father’s questions without them. There weren’t too many, but she went into detail for each one, so it took a while.

She didn’t want to cut corners just in case she got something wrong, at least not too much. One thing that she did do, as subtly as she dared, was leave a few things out. Things she had a good idea her dad wouldn’t understand how to fix without asking for help again, things most people wouldn't notice.

If her dad had to ask for help again, it meant he had to talk to Sendak, and ask her again. That meant she could give herself a bit more time. Having so much of it to think in had given her a chance to resolve her inner turmoil surrounding this mad volunteering mission and the conclusion Katie was clinging ti was that she wasn’t trying to help Sendak. She was trying to help her father; that was the thought that helped her convince herself to keep talking, to keep describing the ways for the tech to function in all the ways that would result in a device bastardised from saving lives into taking them. 

The realisation of what she had volunteered herself for made her feel a little sick, but as long as she told herself that she was helping her father, not Sendak, it was a bit more bearable. She didn't feel like a horrible person for trying the most desperate, stupid, craziest thing she could think of.

For a moment, she thought about trying to add something into the instructions, but she decided against it relatively quickly; she was being watched too closely, and she had nothing to tell anyone so there was no point in risking it. Impulsive desperate gambles were one thing; deliberately antagonising her captors was another, and trying to slip her father and the police information again would definitely count as antagonising them. 

No. She didn’t want to risk anything else. She was lucky she could still _see_ , that Sendak valued these plans more than her absolute cooperation and complete and utter blindness to her situation.

She didn’t really think it was a good thing that despite keeping her under tighter lock and key now, he was _still_ willing to let her give her father advice either. Something about it made her nervous, but what other option did she have? Could she even change her mind at this point? 

She almost wanted to, but when she thought about it, she could hear the hear the clink of the lighter the flare of the blowtorch in her ears, it’s flame flickering on and off, on and off, closer and closer until she thought it was going to fire her eyelashes into the same singed and melted mess that her hair was now.

Finally, after the last question was over, she heard people moving around—she heard the sound of a tape roll being pulled, meaning someone was going to gag her again. Did that mean that was it? They were done with her again already? That Sendak was going to leave?

“Now I have a question for you Miss Holt,” Sendak said. “I can find the answer elsewhere but I thought you might appreciate the chance to redeem yourself. Answer it for me, and you can wash and change.” 

Not this again. These offers never came without some kind of fate-doomed caveat that usually made things uncomfortable for Matt, or her dad, or even her mother. She couldn’t bring herself to nod, or give any assent, but Sendak must have assumed from her still silence that she was listening, because he carried on with the question: “What is your grandparents’ address?”

It caught her off guard, and despite the nausea that returned for the question as much as Sendak’s resumed grip on her face, she was confused.

Why did he want to know where her grandma and granddad lived? What possible reason could he have for involving them in this? 

Her mother had told her when she had passed the message to Matt that her grandparents were being kept updated on what was happening, but also that they had advised them not to watch the news, just in case. Her granddad had a bad heart and hardly left the house anymore. He was waiting for an operation, and her grandma was deaf as a post; they were both still relatively robust and cheerful despite that, but not to the extent Katie would willingly expose them to anything involving this.

“F-Find it yourself,” she mumbled, nervous, pulling her face out of his grip and hiding it in her knees, shaking her head. “I’m not helping you scare or hurt them. Granddad’s sick.”

She heard and smelt Sendak’s breath as it rushed past her cheek. “I thought as much,” he huffed. “It was a sincere offer, and I understand your reluctance, but so be it.” He stood back up. “Deal with her.”

Bogh's footsteps padded towards her and Katie heard Sendak’s footsteps leaving the room, the door opening, along with the sound of heels again. Not boots. The sound was too light. High heels. She’d worn her 120mm ones to her dad’s business functions enough times to know what heels on stone or solid floors sounded like.

There was a woman in the room. Maybe. Maybe not. She couldn’t tell, but between the perfume scent and sound, she was sure there had been a woman in the room, but she didn't remember seeing one. Had she? 

Bogh put a hand on her shoulder, letting her know he was there. “Water and food,” he said simply, much to her relief. She was parched. Not really hungry—she actually felt a little sick after dealing with Sendak—but she ought to eat, and she did need something to drink.

She drank as much as she could from the sports bottle he held up to her lips, routine easy and familiar, settling her a little, and she forced herself to eat the lentil-bacon soup he offered alongside it (going by the taste), before finishing off the water.

The routine followed; Bogh gagged her again, shoving the rag back into her mouth and pulling the tape around her jaw. Before she could droop and try to get a little peace from her captors, something less routine happened, and she panicked.

After he’d replaced the gag, Katie heard some shuffling, and then after he had laid her back down, there was a sting in her in her neck. The food she’d just eaten began to churn in her stomach as the sensation caught her memory. Instinctively, she thrashed, trying to dislodge it; she felt woozy already.

Why?! She’d done what Sendak had asked, and they’d more or less made it impossible for her to escape again! Why were they drugging her again? What did they think she was going to overhear? What did they think she was going to do?

She hadn't completely lost her coherency yet, and Katie screamed and twisted into the ropes, when she felt the second sting as Bogh injected the rest of the contents, trying to stop the needle from pushing any more of the haze-inducing substance into her, trying to dislodge it, break the needle. Anything. She didn't want to be forced unconscious again.

Bogh’s hand was steady, holding her firm as he finished the chore of sedating her, and she sobbed as her mind whirled, trying to figure out what was happening now. “Shh, I know, I know you don't like this,” Bogh sighed almost sounding guilty, his hand rubbing her shoulder where the needle had stung her skin over her protests. “But it's just for a few days Princess.”

 _A few days?_ That was hardly reassuring; they could kill her in her sleep, and she wouldn't even know. Though on second thought, that might not be such a bad thing. In fact, it would be practically a kindness at this point. It didn't really sound like Sendak’s style though.

No, something was happening. They’d always drugged her when they didn’t want her to know something, or when they were travelling. Were they moving her again? She hoped not. Moving around was as much a dreaded experience as the calls with her family were becoming. Nothing good had come out of it, and it only seemed to mark each stage of decline in the relative ‘ _safety_ ’ of her prison.

She felt slack in the ropes even laid down, and could only twisted her face away from Bogh’s patronising pat on the cheek.“You’ll wake up again before you know it,” he said, almost cheerful.

Would she? Being drugged was even worse than being tied up. She was at Sendak’s complete and nonexistent mercy then. There was absolutely no guarantee in what Bogh told her, however reassuring he was trying to be. 

“Just relax, alright? You’ll be fine.” he said, his voice lower. “It’ll all be over with soon. I promise.”

If she hadn't been gagged, Katie would have told him exactly what his promises were worth. He might have kept the last one, but more from circumstance than any effort on his part. He’d still held her head back while Sendak flicked the blowtorch on and off. He hadn't helped her. She’d helped herself. At most, his back-up had been a reluctant assistance.

She knew better than to believe him. She did. She knew that Bogh was lying just to make her more complacent, keep her from struggling (as much as she could as the haze began to creep over her once again), but… she hoped he was right.

She hoped he wasn't lying, that she’d wake up, and see her family again, that she’d get the chance to hear the words imprinted onto her wrist—she had to believe they were related to this horror story that her life had currently turned into, because she wasn't sure how many chances she had left anymore—but if she had to say the trust was well founded, she wouldn't have been able to.

Bogh was lying, _again_ , and she was believing him just for the sake of having something to trust, and give herself a little reassurance, even if she knew it was false.

His heavy footsteps headed for the door as Sendak's had—was she being left on her own again? Was that why she had been drugged? Had they just got sick of leaving her with a permanent babysitter?—and just before the door closed again, Sendak’s voice reached her ears as she strained them, his voice lower, conscious maybe of their unwilling audience member.

“Remember, in and out,” he said. “We can’t afford to be spotted now.”

“If you're so worried, why are you even bothering with this?” Bogh grumbled. “Just send it in the post.”

“You know someone will be checking it. If this is how we have to proceed to get this done, so be it. I don’t want her father or that jumped up detective to be under any illusions about her position here,” Sendak said. “It should do the trick, especially if they want her body back.”

“You’re going to kill her then?”

“She’s a liability Bogh,” someone—it was a woman’s voice—said in a calm tone. “There’s no point in letting her go.” Then she paused. “The sooner we light her up the better. It’ll be easier for everything ahead to get rid of her _._ ” 

It was harder not to let the haze pressing on her limited senses and perception take over when she was already blindfolded, and Katie only dimly heard Bogh’s low agreement as the drug won out, but she clung onto it, taking it and Sendak’s ominous, and bone chilling words into unconsciousness with her.

“Exactly,” he said, voice as smooth and calm as butter. “Once we have our hands on a prototype, we’re done with her.”

* * *

Phew, okay, everybody still with me?

~~You can run away if you want, I won't stop you, I swear; for the love of sanity, take this chance~~

Okay, that's Pidge's PoV finally caught up with Keith's, so we'll be seeing some of his POV again soon. Speaking of...

If you read Keith's POV alongside this, I must urge you to go back and _Reread_ **[Chapter 11](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22695898/chapters/56580187)** , and the chapters following. I realised that... through   
~~Lemony Snicket's~~ a Series Unfortunate of Events I... I failed to include a scene of some relevance in the aforementioned chapter of Keith's POV. I've fixed that now (If you're waiting till this story is finished before you start Keith's POV, never mind! Nothing to see here, ha ha ha).

I did look at the upcoming chapters to see if i could fit it in anywhere else but i'd just have to make _more_ tweaks to too many chapters I've already published, so there was no happy medium, unfortunately.

In case you're wondering, _yes_. I screamed like a dying sun into Cluthulu's void of Nightmare Fuel when I realised this had happened ~~and no I don't want to talk about it.~~ It's probably Karma for this whole AU.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter?  
~~Am I allowed to still say that?~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ★Katie is unsure of how long she has to wait before she finally hears movement in her cell room, and Bogh puts a hand on her shoulder to tell her Sendak is calling her father, and carrying her into another room.
> 
> ★Someone shifts the ropes on her, and she is tied to the chair, the length of rope around her neck pulled beneath the chair, pulling her ankles beneath it. Sendak asks if she knows what's happening, and then tells her that he will take the gag off, on the condition that she ' _behaves_ '. Katie remains too scared to do anything but agree
> 
> ★Sendak, who is even less hospitable than usual, prompts Katie to tell her father that she managed to cut the ropes off and tried to escape. She does so, until Sendak tells her to be quiet, and she goes silent, terrified, and avoids trying to make contact with her father.
> 
> ★Sendak inspects Sam's work and to her dismay, states that he had been expecting better, and is unhappy. As they talk (Sendak pointing out that her father promised him results in two weeks, and due to the delays he's really had three) Bogh unties her legs from the rope on her neck, and moves Katie's chair closer to the desk. Katie tries to plead with them as he pulls the blindfold off and Sendak pick up a cook's blowtorch.
> 
> ★Keith tries to back him up, only for Sendak to point out that they did lie to him collectively—' _I’m sorry dad, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tell him, I’m sorry,_ ’—and that Katie passed a message to her brother as Bogh hold her head back, holding it in place—' _Perhaps you’re right Mr Hawkins, but you did hide something, collectively, didn’t you? I told you if you lied to me, I would burn your daughter’s eyes out._ '.
> 
> ★Katie, screaming and trying to plead herself, is cut off as Bogh, yanking on the plait in her hair, forces her to look up at Sendak as he tests the blowtorch and flares it to life. Sendak clamps a hand on her mouth to talk to Sam. He eventually offers him two more days to get the plans to the standards he wants.
> 
> ★Distraught, Sam pleads for another week. Sendak disappointedly tells him that a week isn't acceptable, and lowers the blowtorch.
> 
> ★Doing anything she can think of to stop him, Katie bites down hard enough to taste Sendak's blood in her mouth on the hand he is muffling her with. Shocked, Sendak drops the blowtorch and she yells desperately that she can help fix the blue prints.
> 
> ★Disbelieving at first, Sendak mutes her father as he interrogates her. Bogh assures him that she is indeed a microtech engineer, and after another feint with the blowtorch, he finally agrees, burning her plait off instead, and bringing her father back to the conversation to inform him of the development. He is at first reluctant to involver but Sendak's quick threats to continue and Katie's pleas with him change his mind instantly.
> 
> ★ Katie spends some time talking to her father, apologising; she almost tells him about the fire at the chip shop she tried to find help in by accident, but Sendak interrupts her, snapping the lighter in her ear, and she quickly backtracks, focusing instead on the blueprints, and processing the events.
> 
> ★Following the events of the call Katie is left mostly in her prison room, blindfolded, and in the same restrictive restraints, though Bogh at least gives her a little more slack. She has a new burn at the back of her neck where Sendak burned her hair off, but Bogh applies some cooling gel to it.
> 
> ★After some time she begins to identify people by their footsteps and realises there is a new set besides bogh, who she is still incredibly mixed around over. She still has a warped trust in him, as he however unwittingly kept his promise that she would be okay.
> 
> ★Eventually she hears more footsteps. Sendak arrives and tell her he is going to record her vocal responses to her father's questions. Katie realises this is so that he doesn't have to show her any more information than what is absolutely necessary; he only sabotage is leaving a few minor things out so that her dad will have to call again, thinking her best bet is to just drag the construction out for as long as possible. She also tries to keep her guilt for offering to help Sendak away by telling herself she is trying to help her father.
> 
> ★Sendak asks her for her grandparents address in exchange for a chance to clean up and change clothes, but given her grandfather's poor health, she refuses. Sendak isn't surprised or annoyed, and leaves her to Bogh for a moment.
> 
> ★She eats and drinks a little, but to her dismay she is drugged again. Bogh tells her it's just for a few days, and that it will be over with soon. As she falls unconscious, she overhears through the haze of the drug Sendak and a woman, who state there is no point letting her go, and ' _the sooner we light her up the better._ ' Sendak claims that as soon as they have a prototype, they will be done with her, and Katie falls unconscious.


	16. See It Coming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CONTENT WARNING:** This chapter contains a scene of manhandling that while NOT sexual, may still make some people uncomfortable. Please have a look at the TL:DR in the end notes if you're unsure about this chapter.

Waking up after being drugged was becoming a pain in the neck, Katie decided, when she finally gained some comprehension back from her own stolen awareness.

It wasn’t even the nausea and headaches and tiredness that came with it anymore that bothered her—that she was used to that. It was the disorientation, the loss of time and her ability to accurately gauge what limited information she had of her situation, and the unease of her own memory.

‘ _Once we have our hands on a prototype, we’re done with her._ ’

Katie didn't know if she had dreamed those words or not, and they fed into her growing fears that Sendak had absolutely no intention of letting her return to her family alive. She didn't think she had imagined them, but she'd had had plenty of nightmares since this began, and had no way to make the distinction.

Nightmares melded so easily into her situation and her impression of Sendak, that it was impossible to know. Especially when her observations of her surroundings were so errant and scratchy lately. Sendak hadn't even taken her out of the room to speak to her father; he’d recorded her answers to his questions.

She had no clue where she was, what kind of building she was in, and there seemed to be more people around, but she could have been imagining that too. Her perception was so skewed that she didn't know if she could trust it anymore.

That, and even if her eyes had been spared, she still couldn't see anything to judge in the first place. It was the worst of the changes she found herself living with following her escape attempt. Being drugged was terrible, and the rope on her neck was a constant terror, but waking up to constant darkness was terrifying. 

At least this time upon waking she didn't immediately choke; after a few minutes she realised they hadn't tied the rope on her neck, so the whole ordeal of waking up wasn't quite as traumatic as it had become. Her head, as always, felt as though it was swimming, and it took a while before she was brave enough to roll onto her other side, just to try and shift a little.

Someone must have been watching her, because a few moments after her confused, uncomfortable shifts, she felt hands on her shoulders, sitting her up. Not Bogh’s though. Bogh always warned her before he did anything first; whoever this was, they just yanked her up with a hard grip, startling her through the remnant haze of the drugs.

Katie immediately cringed and twisted away from whoever was touching her, flinching away from the hands on her face, away from the unfamiliar, unwanted, and uncomfortable contact, yelling her protests around the gag.

“Be quiet, I’m just moving you,” a younger male voice said grumpily; there was only one person it could have been, and the pleasure of Lahn's company was unnerving.

She hardly ever saw anyone besides Bogh and Sendak. The doctor guy she knew of, but had only seen once or twice in firm memory. The others she didn't know well, but she recognised their voices; Lahn had always been a distant existence throughout her captivity, and so his manner was a stranger to her but she didn’t have to know what he was like to trust him even less than she trusted Bogh; he was always irritated about something, and she’d never been sure about him.

Apparently out of some messed-up feeling of camaraderie after spying on her for two years, Bogh at least gave her a little bit of dignity by telling her what was happening, and was the most trustworthy of the lot. 

The irony that her captivity was more uncomfortable without the man who’d enabled it in the first place, was infuriating, and not lost on her. Definitely not when Lahn began to slide his knife under the tape on her face without any warning, cutting through the gag with a rough grip on her face to hold her steady.

It came out of nowhere, and she screamed, kicking at him when she felt the blade on her skin. He dug his fingers into her hair, holding her head uncomfortably, bending her neck so she couldn't angle herself properly, which only made her panic more.

“Chill out, will you?” Lahn demand, pulling the tape off her jaw; it stung sharply, pulling on the hair at the back of her neck where it had been wrapped around her head and the sore scabs that had started on her mouth, when her skin had dried out from the constant constraint. “Macidus said you needed to drink something when you woke up.”

It was disorientating so soon after coming around, and as soon as she had spat the gag out, she curled up as much as she could, feeling none of the comparative reassurance she had unwittingly been getting from Bogh’s presence. 

Something pressed against her face. Cool. plastic. The water bottle. “Oi, come on, open up, you need to drink something if you don't want to croak,” her new minder said, all but forcing the cap to her lips. Having it shoved into her face didn't help.

Katie to swallow the sharp mouthfuls that she got, but it was more like she was having it forced down her throat, and where Bogh had only put a hand between her shoulder blades to keep her from tipping over, Lan still had a grip on her hair, forcing her to keep drinking until she coughed and sputtered and had to spit a mouthful out all over him.

“You really had to do that?” he groaned, dropping his grip on her ( _finally_ ). “Nice, thanks,” he muttered.

Overwhelmed, still off guard and more than a little scared by the rougher treatment during the reluctant necessity of her captors to let her have basic human bodily functions, like hydration, or hunger, Katie felt like she was on the verge of tears already. 

What was going on? Where was Bogh? Why wasn't he doing this? He seemed to have been her primary caregiver during this hellish experience, and she hadn't expected to miss him, but she did. Bogh was practically compassionate compared to Lahn.

“I couldn't breathe!” she gasped out, coughing and catching her breath. “You made me choke!”

She couldn't see it, but Katie was sure that she was being glowered at by the chilly silence, before he had a hold of her face, finger's digging around her jaw.

“I said to be quiet,” he snarled; her head pressed uncomfortably against the wall from the grip. “Now, I’m going to start again. Try to keep breathing this time,” he said, as a poor warning before he gripped her hair again, tilting the water bottle against her mouth.

He did stop a few times to let her cough and swallow the water the second time, but still insisted that she drink through the sniffs and shock from the frankly frightening approach. After what felt like an age, the water was drained, and she was finally able to breathe freely for a moment, and Katie shrank back on herself as Lahn moved around.

Was he done now? She hoped so. The sooner he was gone the better. She’d rather be left gagged than go through that again. She heard him heading closer again, and pulled her legs in front of her, trying to put a weak barrier between her and the aggravated impatient cultist as he grabbed onto her again. 

“Sendak’s sending some photos to your old man today,” he said, a hand on the back of her neck, holding her down against the mattress Bogh had dragged through to keep her off the floor. His hands were fiddling with ropes around her arms and wrists. “So you get to clean up a bit.”

Clean up?

He unfastened the ropes around her arms as she tried to work out what he was doing now. Her wrists remained tied, but she could drop them from between her shoulders one he was done. He started to do the same with the rope on her knees and she wondered if he was going to drag her to another washroom somewhere.

She was mistaken when he grabbed a hold of her jumper, the snapping sound of fabric filling the air as he used the knife from before to cut through it, and her shirt beneath it.

“No! No! No! No! No!” she screamed, kicking at him with more ability thanks to the loosened binds. “Get away from me!”

“I—” he winced as her legs in desperation connected with him. “—Hey! I said to shut up! Calm dow—” he grabbed hold of her mouth again, and she bit his fingers, feeling the blindfold getting damp from the panic of sweat and tears. 

“Get off me!" she screamed. "Get off, get off, get off! No!” she choked out, shrinking away as he grabbed onto her shoulders, pulling her against him. She could hear his breath in her ear. “Leave me alone, stop touching me!” she pleaded. “Get away from—”

Lahn shoved the gag back into her mouth. “I said to shut up!” he snapped, and she kicked and struggled trying to weasel out of the grip, screaming through the rag when he grabbed the tear in her jumper and began to yank at it again. “Hey! Quit—”

“What,” Sendak’s sharp voice asked, cutting irritated through the screams and shouts. “Is going on in here, Lahn? You were just supposed to get her to eat, drink and wash; why is she screaming?”

“She’s just being a pain; she wouldn’t shut up, and she was being a baby about washing,” he huffed, using the shock from Sendak’s interruption to yank on her shoulders again; “She started screaming about it so—”

“Get out.”

Katie froze, relief flooding her; she didn't really want to be grateful to the leader of a terrorist group, but if he was going to get rid of Lahn, then she wasn't complaining. She didn't know who her next best option would be, but she knew it wouldn't be Lahn. Maybe he’d bring Bogh back from whatever he was doing.

She couldn't believe she missed Bogh, but he really had been making this entire situation more tolerable.

“But you said not to—”

“ _Out_ ,” Sendak said sharply “I told you to be careful, not stupid. Leave, now, and tell Macidus when he gets back that he’ll be watching her from now on, since you clearly aren't capable of something so basic,” he snapped.

Lahn had frozen, before her finally dropped his grip on her, huffing and getting to his feet, stomping across the floor; the silence continued, but for her shaky sniffs after the rough manhandling, and she curled up on herself again when she heard Sendak’s footsteps getting closer.

“I apologise Miss Holt,” he said calmly. He didn't touch her, for which she had a great deal of relief. “I didn’t think he was _that_ stupid.”

The gag had come a little loose, and when she tried spitting it out, he gave her a little help when he realised she wanted to say something, pulling it free. “W-Where's Bogh?” she choked. she didn't want kindness from these people—she knew she wasn't going to get any—but she was unsettled and wanted to see the only familiar face she knew in this hellhole, or hear his voice, at least.

“Bogh has a job to do for me; he won’t be back for some time. I assure however, that Lahn won’t be back at all,” he said, sounding irritated enough that she might believe him. “Bogh was entirely truthful with you regarding our stance on unnecessary violence; I advised Lahn to take precautions, considering how resourceful you’ve been, unfortunately,” he paused. “Lahn is _stupid_.”

Katie shivered, still curled up wishing she had anyone else to give her some reassurance; how twisted did things have to be that she was being reassured by Sendak? The worst part was that he was clearly trying to calm her down and it was working. Was she that conditioned to listen to him now? She hated it. She felt sick. Sick and scared, and if she couldn’t go home, then she wanted Bogh back.

“Macidus will be back from a job soon, so after that, he'll come help you; I’ll make sure he knows not to be as blasé as Lahn—”

“I don’t… I don’t… he kept touching me, I couldn’t breathe…” she sobbed. “Where's Bogh?”

She felt like she had asked that already. Sendak didn’t answer, and she heard him huff. “It’s been over two weeks since you changed clothes and cleaned up,” he insisted. 

“No, no, no, no, no,” Katie mumbled, shaking her head. She didn’t want anyone she didn’t know to touch her. She didn’t care what Lahn had been told, or trust Sendak’s assurances. The only one of them she could bear to be around was Bogh. She’d rather sit in her own filth than have anyone she didn’t know and couldn’t see touch her again. “I don’t want to, I can wait…” she pleaded. “Please! Where’s Bogh?” she sobbed.

“Bogh isn’t here," Sendak repeated, frustrated, but not to the point he was angry. "Macidus is a doctor, he’ll—”

“I’ll help her,” another voice said, a female one.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s not a trouble. Easier actually. Dignity goes a long way to cooperation; I imagine she’ll be more comfortable with another woman than any of your louts until Bogh gets back.” 

Katie heard the clack of heels across the floor, and the tone and lilt of the voice nagged at her. Had she heard this woman before? The sound stopped in front of her, and there was a shift in the air as someone moved. 

She heard heavier footsteps—Sendak's?—leaving the room, then thin fingers pressed on her shoulder, not hard, but firm enough to make her flinch as they sat her back up. Stiffening, anticipating something else uncomfortable, Katie paused as the woman’s hands unfastened the blindfold around her eyes. There was only one small skylight in the room, and it looked like it was late in the evening, because the light was dim as she felt her vision slowly coming back to her.

She still blinked and winced for a few moments, before screwing them closed again, hiding her face in her knees. Mostly for the pain, but also because she was worried about what looking around freely might earn her in retaliation from her captors, worried it was another test.

“You can open them,” the woman prompted. “I’m not sponging you down, you can do that yourself.”

Katie flinched again as the strange woman reached around behind her, gripping her hands and leaning over her shoulder. “I’m sure you know better than to try something stupid again by now, don’t you?”

The calm tone in her ear was as eerie and unnerving as Sendak's and all the more frightening because this woman didn't give off the same unstable, aggravated demeanour.

Katie winced at the fierce grip on her wrists, even through the rope, and nodded. It wasn’t the same forceful grip that Sendak and Bogh had, but it was a strong one, and she really didn’t think she had the strength to fight with anymore. The woman's voice was familiar though. She must have heard it somewhere before. Before she had been drugged maybe? She wasn’t sure, but she nodded, and the woman cut through the binds on her wrists with the knife, before stepping back.

Katie was unsure for a few moments, but the sound of water sloshing was enough of a curiosity to make her open her eyes and get a glance at her current prison for the first time, wincing at the seeming brightness.

It felt like it hurt just to open her eyes, but after a bit, it was less painful. Disorientating though. It looked like she was in some sort of storage room. There was nothing in the room. It was made of old smooth brick and plaster with a concrete floor, and there was another mattress across the room from her own which looked it had been for Bogh to sleep on. She recognised one of his jumpers sitting on it.

The one she was sitting on was backed against the wall, and had a small pile of blankets too, though she’d felt those and knew from Bogh telling her when he’d covered her up, or checked if she was too hot or cold at times.

Finally, her eyes fell on the bucket of water, which looked warm judging from the coils of steam rising from it into the chillier air of the room. Her shower gel, shower scrunchie, and a pile of clothes were dumped onto the mattress beside her, along with a towel, and she finally glanced at the woman who had taken over from Sendak.

She was older than her mother, put still had that fine sort of skin that spoke of good self-care, and a narrow face, with long white hair that looked as though it had been given silverising treatments to match up and age more stylishly. Like the old women at the Voltedge investors parties.

Katie wasn’t sure what scared her about the woman; the fierce memory of her grip, revealing she was stronger than her thin bony figure suggested, or the fine cut clothes that spoke of money, or just her bored, somewhat irritated expression, or the edge of servitude Sendak had addressed her with, the woman’s superior manner with him. It could have been all of it.

Mostly it was the feeling that this woman was important, and that her seeing her face probably meant that she hadn’t imagined Sendak’s words before she had passed out. She really was running out of time, and if something didn’t happen soon…

She was scared to even think about it.

Especially now as the woman caught her gaze and motioned her hand at the bucket pointedly. Shivering in the chill of the room, Katie focused on that instead, gingerly pulling off the green jumper and pink t-shirt that she had been wearing since before her escape attempt, and the camo jogging leggings.

Everything stung and ached as she did her best to wash down. The woman had given her some clean underwear too and after a moment, she caved and stripped that too, hoping it might make her feel a little better to be fully clean.

As she washed, the woman flicked through her phone, not even looking in her direction, clearly not concerned about any escape attempts she might make. The door was probably locked, and all she had as a weapon was a bucket. Going by how much effort it was just to wash and dry herself off, Katie was sure she wouldn’t do well in a wrestling match with her anyway.

The clothes were a sleeveless jersey jumper with purple and white tie-dye pattern, a long-sleeved grey shirt and some black leggings. Once dressed again, she pushed the bucket to one side, to indicate she was done, pulling her legs up to her chest, waiting for a prompt of some kind.

The woman looked up at the noise as the bucket scraped on the concrete from her phone, then at Katie before she knocked on the door. “She’s done.” 

There was the scrape of a key, and Sendak stepped back inside. He looked at her, then closed the door, disappearing. It opened again a few moments later, and he returned. He crossed the room with new rope in hand to replace the slashed ones that the woman had cut off of her earlier. 

It was a repeat of the same set up she had been in originally, arms forced behind her back, tied to the roped he slung around her arms between her shoulders, and back around her knees. She was too tired to protest much, merely wincing at the tightness, but left off the one that had been around her neck.

“Are you starting now or later?” the white-haired woman asked.

Sendak glanced up at the woman after shoving another rag—clean at least—into her mouth and forcing her jaw shut with a strip of tape pulled down almost painfully across her mouth.

“Later,” Sendak said; Katie froze as the word struck in her memory, and as Sendak began tying the blindfold back around her eyes. “If we don’t hear anything to the contrary from Bogh soon, we’ll start, but let’s give him some more time to get ready.”

Sendak pulled aside the neck of her shirt and jumper, and a needle stung the side of her neck as he laced her with more of the sedative, distracting her from her eavesdropping.

‘ _...sooner rather than later..._ ’ 

The words were ringing and echoing like an imposing bell in in her head as it began to fog over. She _had_ heard that woman before. Talking to Sendak. Had that been when she heard him say that they would be done with her soon?

Where was Bogh? What was he doing? It had to be something if he had been away for this long. She wasn’t sure how long it had been since he left. 

Katie whimpered in frustrated dismay as Sendak pressed the needle into her skin, but more for her own benefit than any attempts to plea for mercy, trying to keep the fragments she had overheard in mind before she was forced into unconsciousness.

 _Again_.

* * *

When Katie woke up, her gag had already been removed, and Macidus—who kindly identified himself for her before approaching—was the one watching her.

With far more patience than Lahn had given her, he waited a little while until she had come around before helping her sit up and giving her something to eat and some water. He even had a second bottle prepared after she had drained the first.

She was leery about talking to him more than she needed to though, so despite her urge to know how much time had passed, she didn’t ask any questions. She didn’t know how he would react, and didn’t want to chance it.

She missed Bogh, who represented something a bit more certain with his familiarity, but Macidus was definitely better than Lahn; after she had eaten, had her fill of water, he let her back down to sleep off the fog of the drugs and without gagging her again, which was nice. 

That she did ask him about, and he told her she’d been sick a few times. ‘ _Sendak doesn’t want you choking,_ ’ he’d said; Katie could hear the silent ‘ _yet_ ’ tacked onto the end of the words all too easily.

He hung around as she drifted in and out of sleep. Predictably, the cereal he’d brought her came back up, but he was prepared for that too, helping her sit up and holding a bucket up for her to let her churning stomach empty itself into before she collapsed on the mattress again.

As she slowly recovered from all the unwanted drugs they’d been lacing her with, she did her best to grab onto all the glimpses of conversation. Everything she had overheard. She needed to know what was happening. She dimly remembered listening to Sendak, the woman; she was sure they had been talking about killing her off, and someone had been asking her about her grandparents. Why had they been asking her about grandma and granddad?

She didn’t have any answers, or any way to find out; she was too scared to ask Macidus, and almost wished he’d just gag her again so she didn’t have to feel like a coward for holding her tongue as they wanted her to.

Drifting in and out of fitful sleep, she was started sometime later, at least another day passed. When she came around again, she was gagged again, so clearly Sendak was no longer concerned about her ‘ _choking_ ’. Ha.

Macidus didn't seem to be in the room—she couldn’t hear him tapping on his datapad, or the sound of anybody breathing. She was just left for time to swallow her up until finally she heard the door open.

“...have other things to do,” Macidus said irritable in his low, soft voice. “I’m not a babysitter.”

Katie heard Sendak’s footsteps striding into the room, then he grabbed hold of her, hauling her over his shoulder, his reply unsettling as they moved. 

“It’s a good thing Bogh was prepared then, isn’t it?”

Despite the meaning that could be implied from that, Sendak’s voice was dim in her ears as he carried her out of the room. Her head still felt hazy, but not just from sleep, but with the lingering knowledge she had overheard something ominous before, and Katie wondered what Sendak meant.

What was he preparing for? What was Bogh doing for him? Why would he need to wait for it? He’d definitely mentioned it before. When Lahn had scared the crap out of her, he’d been talking about it too, before he drugged her.

“As promised, your daughter,” Sendak said, dumping her into the seat of a chair. “As I assured you, she’s still unharmed. A little sleepy maybe, but unharmed.” 

‘ _I beg to differ on that._ ’

Katie started at her father’s voice. They had started the call already? Everything was moving and happening so fast it was hard to keep up with. Or she was just too disorientated. She also didn’t think being drugged into unconsciousness for fate knew how long counted as being sleepy, but it was just her personal opinion, and clearly, Sendak didn’t care about that.

She heard Sendak chuckle. “Then I’ll rephrase; she has no new scratches to worry about,” he said winding the ropes to hold her up around her shoulders. “Lahn gave her an unintentional scare a few days ago, but no harm done, and I’ve tasked someone else less prone to idiocy with her care.”

A few days? How many? How many had it been before that? She needed to try and work out what date it was. She needed to know how much time had passed since her last firm recollection of the events that had all but blended together.

Katie felt him lifting her face up for a moment. “I’ll start your timer after you’ve finished the discussions you need for the prototype today, as a show of good faith for all your work,” he said. “And to make it up to Katie for Lahn’s slight. It was unacceptable after she’s been so well behaved.”

Behind the fabric keeping her blind Katie rolled her eyes, holding back a snort; she was _blindfolded_. And tied up. And still half-drugged. Her behaviour really hadn’t been voluntary, but sure.

She didn’t really know what Sendak was expecting her to get up to, but even if she _could_ have responded to that, she probably wouldn’t have, if only so as not to jeopardise the act of ‘ _kindness._ ’ 

If he wanted to be nice and let her speak to her dad for the full hour, she’d take it.

He was still holding her face too. That was another reason not to argue with him. “You remember what happened the last time you tried to take advantage of my generosity, don’t you Katie?” 

She could feel his hand on her neck and she nodded, insistently, trying not to cringe as his thumb grazed over the hollow of her throat, reminiscent of the noose that had been wrapped around it up till very recently.

“Good.”

He kept his hand on her neck as he started to peel the tape off her mouth, slowly, taking more care than Lahn had at least. “I’d hate to have to resort to that again,” he added, unfastening the blindfold. “Let me know when you’re done helping your father, and then I’ll start the timer.”

Before he left, he squeezed her throat once, a warning that had her cringing and tears stinging dangerously at the corner of her eyes as his footsteps disappeared behind her.

‘ _Honey?_ ’ 

She had to calm down. She could hear her father’s voice. She didn’t want to scare him by seeing her unsettled any more than she already was by Sendak’s apparent generosity or his casual threats.

“I-I’m okay,” she mumbled getting her breathing back in order, with a few deep ones. Same as when Bogh helped her calm down at night. She had to open her eyes. She hadn’t opened them yet. “I just…”

‘ _Take all the time you need sweetheart,_ ’ her father said; she tried to listen to his voice. It was the first pleasant thing she’d heard for… she didn’t even know how long anymore. ‘ _I’m not going anywhere; want me to tell you what I’ve been working on from your responses?_ ’

She nodded; it gave her something to think about, something to focus on, the familiar kind, gentle sound, the reassurance. His tone was droning, almost sending her off to sleep, but she didn’t want to. Not yet, not when time with him had been so preciously limited.

‘ _...almost got the particle barrier synchronised, though the gas is still causing the interface to melt and deactivate the trigger mechanism…_ ’ 

She knew her dad wouldn’t have given up on her but when she hardly heard or saw her family the few chances she’d had to speak to them were all the more valuable.

Slowly, the sound of his voice settled her. After another breath Katie cracked her eyes open, looking around, trying not to wince at the brightness. 

‘ _...but I think I can fix that with a Groggery battery; it should remove the fluctuations in the particle barrier with the neutraliser frame, and means we’ll be able to have the prototype ready in the next week or so, maybe the next few days…_ ’

Compared to her cell room, it felt like a torch had been shone in her face for a few moments before she could finally make out her father’s face on the screen. She could hear him though, and her heart skipped a horrified beat.

A week? A few days? That was how close he was to finishing the designs? How long had it been since she recorded those bits of advice for Sendak to send him? She had no idea, but apparently it had been longer than she had thought.

That or her father had got up to speed on new tech faster than before once he had a few pointers, which was just as probable. He’d built Voltedge off his own tech and continued to contribute to the technology it created. He might not have specialised in microtech, but he wasn’t stupid. He was _far_ from stupid.

The sudden jump in time was jarring for other reasons though; the fleeting pieces of conversation she had overheard sounded much more ominous now that she knew how close to completion Sendak’s ‘ _requested_ ’ designs were.

He was being unusually nice; first with that thing with Lahn, now giving her more time to talk to her father. He was calm too, like he had been when Bogh opened the boot of the car at the first hideout they’d held her in, and the words she had heard before, though she had dreamed rushed to the front of her mind.

‘ _Once we have our hands on a prototype, we’re done with her._ ’

She had been right. They weren’t planning on letting her go at all, and they were confident enough in the words that their deadline wasn’t too far off.

No. No, no, no, no, no. She couldn’t let that happen. She didn’t want to die. Not in the slightest. Not if she could help it. There probably wasn’t much she could do—she doubted she would even be able to warn her father.

But surely, she still had a chance? The police wouldn’t have given up on her. She was some national news story now, right? She wouldn’t just be left. And she had her words. 

It was a slim, one in a hundred million chance that this was all building up to meeting her soulmate, but that was all she needed. Just one day to be really, _really_ lucky. Luckier than the day the cursed words had first been readable on her skin.

Katie was clinging onto that slim hope. That someday soon, she’d hear those words.

**‘ _You’re safe now._ ’**

If there had to be anything she wanted to be safe from, it was all of this. If there was any single person in the world she wanted to know she was safe from, it was Sendak. 

She had to hear those words. Hearing them meant she would be okay, it meant that fate was on her side. But she couldn’t give herself that opportunity if she didn’t try to get herself out of this.She couldn’t hear those words if she was already dead; if Sendak had a planned execution date in his head for her—and if it was a close as his good mood and her father’s words suggested—then she had to delay that as long as she possibly could. 

Katie knew the first thing Sendak was going to do after this call was drug her again. It seemed to be their favourite way of keeping her from knowing too much and ‘ _keeping out of trouble_ ’ now, which meant this was her only chance to buy herself more time.

She didn’t know what to do. Every other time she had tried to take some control back, try and sabotage Sendak’s plans or escape, or try to help the police, it had failed. 

She couldn’t pass a message again. Sendak was watching her like a hawk, and she’d had time to plan before, more information. She couldn’t tell anyone anything this time because she didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know how she could pass a message onto her father either; she’d had time to think that up before, and she didn’t have any secret gaming code to share with him.

The digital model was right in front of her (and Macidus stood nearby to alter the screens as needed), as was her father and all his working information. He might have caught up with basic microtech, but he still wasn’t an expert. She could tell just by looking at the plans. It was a hash job compared to her own standards.

“W-What kind of dynotherm filters did you use?” she asked finally, still trying to decide what to do. “And what kind of molecular reflection array?’

Her gut had told her that any effort to throw Sendak off was the best idea each time she had been close to disaster, but it had arguably only made things worse in the events following. Did she want to try again? Was it worth it? Her dad probably wouldn’t know if she changed a few things, but would it work?

Would he forgive her if it didn’t?

‘ _The filters are made from Faunatonium,_ ’ her father said. ‘ _And it’s a Scaultrite array_.’

Katie looked up at the designs again, took a breath, and made her choice with her reply.

* * *

Bringing Katie's POV back up to speed with Keith's; definitely not one of my favourite chapters, but still a lot going on behind the unpleasantness.

I was a little concerned about this chapter; I was worried that Lahn's indiscretion was coming across in a _very_ different tone, one I've been determined to avoid, and it went through a lot of editing before getting to this point.

I was still editing it when I was getting the TLDR typed up, so if anyone feels that the tone in this is going in that direction, or has any concerns, let me know in the comments. If you'd prefer a more private note, DM me on Tumblr, or on the Kidge discord if you're on there, because I do NOT want to have that kind of content in my stories, and I'm perfectly happy to listen.

I feel like i got the spooked-beyond-belief-because-Lahn-is-just-a-rough-handed-grunt idea across but if not, please tell me. I don't often ask for feedback, but really do want to know in this case.

Hope this chapter kept you on your toes for the last ones incoming—four more left for Katie's POV. Nearly at the last hurdle!

Take care, and again, please tell me if there was anything uncomfortable about this chapter. Beyond what's standard in this story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TL;DR**
> 
> ●Katie comes around from being drugged feeling terrible. She remembers Sendak's claims that they will be done with her once they have a prototype, but doesn't trust her own judgement, worried she's confusing nightmares with reality.
> 
> ●As she comes around, someone starts sitting her up and taking the gag off, without warning, causing her some alarm. Lahn tells her she needs to drink something if she doesn't want to choke, but is so rough that he practically force-feeds her.
> 
> ●Katie spits water in his face and coughs, and he calms down a but, but is still irritated and he obviously has a lack of delicacy in comparison to Bogh; he tells Katie Sendak want to hold a call with her father so she gets to wash up but rather than warn her, he simply cuts away a few of the ropes and starts cutting her clothes awake.
> 
> ●Katie is understandably freaked out by this and starts screaming and yelling at him to leave her alone, and the resulting argument catches Sendak's attention. He calls Lahn out for being an utter idiot, and tells Katie that he will ask macidus to help her later.
> 
> ●Katie is a little distraught and objects, asking where Bogh is. Sendak tries to be reasonable, sort of, but his assurances are not very reassuring to her and she objects to cleaning up at all, preferring the grime.
> 
> ●A woman offers to stay with her instead, claiming she'll be more comfortable with her until Bogh gets back, and Sendak relents. The woman warns Katie not to try anything stupid, and removes the blindfold, untying her.
> 
> ●As Katie gets her vision back, she picks up on something intimidating about the grey haired woman standing in the room with her, and realises she's probably better off not to cross her. The woman points to a bucket of hot water, fresh clothes and her wash things, and Katie reluctantly cleans up.
> 
> ●She can tell from how much of an effort it is just to clean up how bad a condition she's in, but tries not to think about it, instead listening to what she can, trying to work out if she was hallucinating Sendak's declaration or not.
> 
> ●Once done, Sendak returns and ties her up again. Sendak and the woman talk about 'starting' but don't specify what. The more she hears the woman's voice the more Katie is certain she has met her before, and that she wasn't hallucinating about Sendak, but he drugs her again before she can hear much else.
> 
> ●The next time she wakes up, Macidus is present, and he is a hell of a lot easier to deal with than Lahn, actually helping her eat and leaving her ungagged for a while, though only because she had apparently been throwing up and Sendak didn't want her to choke. Katie silently ads on a 'yet', but appreciates the calmer approach, even if she still misses bogh.
> 
> ●She drifts in and out of sleep as she recovers from being drugged, and eventually hears Sendak and Macidus return. Katie is taken out of the room and hears her father as she is dropped into a chair. Sendak claims that he'll give them extra personal time to talk to make up for ' _Lahn's slight_ ' and his generosity makes her uneasy.
> 
> ●Sendak reminds her not to try anything, pressing his thumb against her throat before removing the blindfold and gag, and leaves her to talk about the designs with her dad before starting their personal timer.
> 
> ●As they talk about the blueprints, Katie realises that the ' _prototype_ ' she's heard Sendak talking about is closer to completion than she realised, and that he really does have a countdown in mind for her. 
> 
> ●Katie doesn't know how she can help her father, and doesn't think she can tell him anything. she doesn't know much to begin with, and as Sendak is watching her more closely, she's not confident she would be able to.
> 
> ●She worries that following her past attempts to defy Sendak, it might just make things worse, and wonders if its something her dad would forgive her for if she did. She also remembers her words, and they remind her that she doesn't want to die, and of how desperately she wants to hear them, and wants to go home.
> 
> ●She makes a decision, and the chapter ends as Katie discussed the designs with her father.


	17. The Best I've Got

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **WARNING:** This chapter contains elements of psychological torture and manipulation.
> 
> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. TL:DR in the end notes.

Talking to her dad, the rest of her family, even Romelle, was a blessed relief and moment of peace in the new, horrific normal Katie had become accustomed to. It just didn't last nearly long enough.

Just as she was starting to think maybe there was a chance, to realign herself to what her reality ought to be instead of the nightmare Sendak had forced her to endure, she heard the shattering beep of the timer.

His hands felt rough on her face as she tried to avoid the blindfold being pulled around her eyes, and the glint of a needle before the fabric covered them churned her stomach.

"Wait, I didn’t say anything," she pleaded. "Please, not again, please, don’t—" Sendak ignored her, muffling her beg for some small show of mercy before the needle stung her neck, and she lost to the drug.

What followed was also unfortunately normal.

The first couple of times, when Bogh had first taken her across the city, or wherever that clearing had been, she’d been disoriented and confused, and the familiar feeling informed her that yet again, he had been drugged unconscious after the call with her father.

She had flashes in her mind of someone talking to her—had it been Bogh? No, it couldn’t have been Bogh. Bogh was gone, and had taken whatever barrier between herself and the full effect of Sendak’s control issues his presence had provided with him. 

She had a dim memory of waking up, being carried, trying to scream for help as someone hung her over their shoulder, and the ancient remains of train tracks before she was drugged again.

She was, unfortunately getting used to waking up to darkness; it was always disorientating. What she was not used to was waking already moving.

She’d been drugged. She knew that much. For a while, that was what she assumed was making it feel like the world was shaking beneath her. Coming back around was always the hardest part, even if she had slowly begun to know to listen instead of relying on her eyes, and this time was no different.

Katie hazed in and out of consciousness, trying not to think about how nauseated she felt, the shakes that crept through her, or the weakness in her limbs that told her the muscle relaxant in the drugs were still very much in effect. 

Her throat hurt. How many times had they drugged her now? She couldn’t remember. For a while she had forgotten she had been kidnapped again. She had thought she might be dead, and Katie didn’t know if that had been a better train of thought to believe instead of reality.

Eventually, she realised the floor wasn’t shaking because she was still delirious, but because it was that of an engine which meant only one thing; she was being moved again.

Where were they taking her now? Why? Had she said something? Had the police been close by? She wished there was a way to find out, but she couldn’t even see what kind of vehicle she was in. everything still felt far off and hazy. She could kick a wall with her feet, and there wasn’t much space to move in, so she might have been in the boot of a car, but it was hard to tell.

She was finding it difficult to concentrate, especially when the car twisted and turned, juddering in a manner that was far, far too unscripted to be part of a gridway network. It churned her stomach, and she almost threw up when the car jolted in one direction, and she was squashed against the back of the boot.

The jostling banged and disoriented her enough from the sudden turns that she cried out; after a while the car slowed to a halt, and she heard footsteps. The boot clunked, and a rush of cold air rushed over her along with the pneumatic sound of the hatch opening, but she couldn’t see anything, and cringed away from the hand that hooked under her chin.

“You’re awake sooner than I expected Katie,” Sendak mused. “That’s good.” Katie flinched from the sound as his fingers calmly pulled off the blindfold, cringing at the tone. “I was starting to worry I’d been overzealous with your sedatives.”

Where was Bogh? Why wasn’t he back? He’d promised her this would be over soon. She knew he was lying, he lied and lied and lied, but he’d promised her all the same. Even if it just meant they were going to kill her—they were, she _knew_ they were, she heard them talking about it, hadn’t she?—she’d rather it be over with.

The blindfold slipped off, and Katie screwed her eyes shut, not trusting herself to open them. Too scared to open them. What was she going to gain from it now? The light had just started hurting her eyes anyway, so why make her life even more uncomfortable?

She felt Sendak slide the edge of a knife under the gag and froze as he cut through it, snapping it off, and sitting her up. Eventually, her wariness and uncertainty around him was enough for her to chance a peek at the world around her.

She could smell clean air, and upon opening her eyes, she only saw dark skies and stretches of rolling moorland around her, the dampness of thick autumn mist hanging over it. No wonder Sendak hadn’t cared about taking the blindfold off; they were in the middle of nowhere. 

There was no grid way anywhere in sight. No lights from buildings, no signs of people, nothing to suggest a nearby settlement. Just the persistent and unmistakable grunts of some wild animals scuttling and scurrying around somewhere in the dark. A quintet of Yalmors running past the glow of the rear lights in panic into the wildnerness.

They were completely off grid, untraceable by the intercity networks, but it was at least dark, so her eyes didn’t scream at the sight of any kind of brightness. She did start when Sendak nudged the water bottle against her mouth, but the thought of water was a blessed one.

She managed a few sips, then her stomach churned and her muscles began to heave in revulsion. Grabbing her shoulder, Sendak yanked her over the edge of the tailboard so she could empty her stomach down into the grit and dirt and heather they were parked across.

He let her drink a few more times, until she was able to swallow it without being sick. It was exhausting, and even without the muscle weakness that lingered, she would have struggled to hold herself up. Once done, she was practically hanging in his grip as he leaned her up against the back of the seats.

He bent down, looming over her, hands on his thighs to steady himself and he stared at her, thinking something over. It was unnerving, and she tried to shrink away from the gaze as best she could.

For most of her imprisonment, Sendak had been a distant figure that existed as the organiser of her ordeal, but not the person she had to deal with on a day to day basis. Now, unless anyone else was just keeping quiet, she was completely alone with him, and that was something that chilled her far more than the night-time air did.

The coil of fear his presence always bore was the most prominent thing she could feel, and Katie shivered as she braced herself for anything. A question. A comment. She couldn’t afford to be in a haze around Sendak. 

She didn’t know what she had told him before, and didn’t want to be in a position where she couldn’t trust herself like that again. She had to try and focus through her stupor, but it felt impossible. She felt terrible, and just wanted to be left alone, or put out of this misery.

Finally, he stood up, wandering around the car again, opening another door before reappearing; his lighter gleaned under the rear lights of the car in his hand and she stiffened, unable to keep her eyes from it as he used it to light a cigarette, taking a few long draws, before flipping down the tail board and sitting down in front of her.

“I’d like you to pass a message onto your family for me Katie,” he said, his tone calm and patient, dragging her across the floor of the boot to sit on the edge; he held her up with an arm around her back, the same arm the held the cigarette. “You’ll be pleased to know your father has finished his prototype. I want you to tell them to take it to the statue of Vrig the Great in front of Teludav Tower,” he said, pointedly and firmly. “Once I’ve seen the model, I’ll be all too willing to let your family and the police know where to find you; a few more days and this will all be over.”

Katie stared at him, disbelieving and dismayed; what? No. No. No. No. No. he wasn't going to let her go. He was going to kill her as soon as he got the chance—she’d heard him say so.

“Y-You’re lying,” she croaked out, her voice hoarse; was she crying? She felt like she was. Her face was wet. She was just scared now. She didn't have the room in her for anything else when the red ruddy glow of the cigarette was so bright and piercing beside her. 

Sendak chuckled; she flinched, crying out from fright as the tufts of glinting ash he brushed from the cigarette off into the breeze glided towards her for a moment. “Come on now,” he said, shifting his grip on her so she was leaning against his chest and was sitting upright. “Don’t you want to go home? After all that effort, have you changed your mind?”

Katie gritted her teeth, not wanting to answer as angrier tears dripped over her cheeks. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t have the energy. She still felt sick, and Sendak was making her feel even worse. She didn’t know what he was going to do one minute to the next, and the cigarette embers still glinted in the dark, floating away in the breeze. “I don't believe you,” she mumbled.

He was already dialling into his phone. And she bit her lip, determined not to speak. She wasn’t going to let him manipulate her. What could he do to her that he wasn’t already going to do anyway, or hadn’t already done?

‘ _Hello?_ ’

A familiar frantic voice echoed through the silent, dark moor from the phone, and Katie felt her resolve crumble instantly.

‘ _Hello?_ _Please, if someone’s there, say something!_ ’

Sendak muted the call. “Aren’t you going to answer her Katie?” he asked. “I’m sure your mother’s worried about you.”

‘ _We got the message, we're listening!_ ’

“M-Mum?” she choked as Sendak held the phone to her ear, too scared of him and too desperate for something safe and familiar to try avoid letting him twist her into doing what he wanted. “Mu—!”

There was a gasp from the other end of the phone line as Sendak’s hand clamped over her jaw.

‘ _Katie! Katie is that you? Are you okay? Katie? Katie, sweetheart? Are you there?_ ’

She tried to wrench her head from Sendak’s grip; the wave of dizziness and nausea that came with it was disarming, and she sat limp in his grip as her mother called through the earpiece.

“Your daughter has some reservations about my bargain with her father Mrs Holt,” he said calmly, unmuting the call. “Perhaps you can put her fears at rest, and she’ll tell you what you need to know.”

‘ _I_ … _Alright,_ ’ her mother said, her voice a little steadier. ‘ _Put her back on. Please._ ’

Sendak shifted the phone back to her ear, and as he released her jaw, Katie felt herself sobbing a little harder over the sound of her mother’s voice, echoing through the speaker. ‘ _Katie? Sweetheart, are you there? Can you hear me?_ ’

She sounded scared, frantic. She was trying to steady her voice. She couldn’t let her mother hear her like this. “...’m here,” she mumbled, trying not to sniff and cry. “I—”

One of the Yalmors was screaming again somewhere, and Katie started at the noise a little.

‘ _Sweetheart, Katie, listen to the sound of my voice honey, focus on me,_ ’ her mother coaxed gently. ‘ _I know you’re scared right now, and you’re probably tired of trying to tolerate everything that's happening to you._ ’

She was. She was tired and exhausted, and Katie just wanted all of it to end one way or another.

‘ _I can’t imagine how hard all this has been for you, how much you’re struggling, hurting, but I want you to try believe that you’ll be okay, that you’ll be home, that you’ll be safe, just for a little bit longer._ ’

Would she? The more Katie thought about the words etched onto her skin, lashed behind her back where she couldn’t even see the faint markings for the bindings, the less she could find anything resembling reassurance from them anymore. Maybe it was just because of how awful she felt, but it was getting harder and harder to keep hoping they would come true.

‘ _It probably sounds impossible right now,_ ’ her mother continued. ‘ _But y_ _our father did exactly what you told him to do, and he’s fixed the prototype,_ ’ she said. ‘ _It’s finished, so far._ ’

He’d really finished them? Katie didn’t know if she was crying more because it was reminding her that even if fate had thrown her the shitty straws, her parents hadn’t given up on finding her yet, or if it was because of that.

Her dad’s neutraliser designs were supposed to protect people from fire, not help it burn fiercer, but he’d ripped it apart and put it back together all because of her, and he was prepared to hand it over to the monster holding the phone to her ear.

“…’s lying,” she choked. It was so hard to try and think. Her stomach was churning, and her head hurt as much as her throat.

‘ _That’s possible,_ ’ her mother said, her words shaky. ‘ _Very much so, but the police haven’t given up on you, and neither will we._ Never _. Even if Sendak is lying, we will find you before he hurts you again._ ’ 

The words were just encouragement, but her mother wasn't going to lie to her. Katie knew they were trying. She’d seen her father’s plans, seen Romelle and her brother talking on the news. Her dad had built this death machine for Sendak, and she’d helped him do it, out of fear and desperation, but she had helped.

She had helped. Had she helped? Her mother said she had, so she must have. When? Before she had been drugged again? Which time?

“Dad… he really built it?” she asked, trying to process what she was hearing. Try and stretch out the time that she could hear her mother’s voice a little longer. “He fixed… what did he fix?”

‘ _He changed the battery to a_ … _Psyferite one_ …’ her mother said slowly, like she was repeating someone else’s response. ‘… _and used a Fer_ … _a Fertonium lining around the circuits._ ’

“He did?”

‘ _He did, it solved the problem he was having, just like you said it would.’_ Her mother assured her. ‘ _I just need you tell me where the police need to take it honey. Can you do that for me?’_ she asked _. ‘Please, trust us sweetheart._ ’

Katie thought about her parents, her brother, Romelle. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home so badly. She wanted to pretend none of this had happened. She thought about her words again. She’d clung onto them for so long now that it would be strange not to trust that she still had one last way out.

She mouthed the words a few times before they finally found her tongue. “T-Teludav Tower. The Vrig statue.”

Her mother let out a breath of relief. ‘ _Thank you, sweetheart._ ’

Before she could reply, Sendak smothered her again, ending the call, and tapping out the rest of his instructions in a message. From the glimpse of the screen she could see—the light piercing her eyes unpleasantly—it was more specifics; how to mark the box, what time to leave the device at the statue, what to do before and after, and who he wanted to take the device to Teludav Tower.

Once done, he took a few more draws on his cigarette. “Thank you for that Katie,” he said, his hand dropping finally. “Your parents are proving much more cooperative with your assistance.”

The red glow sent a shiver down her back. She wanted to squirm away from him but she was exhausted; her head started swimming worse when she tried to move too much. With any luck, he’d just stuff her back in the car and leave her alone. The boot was hardly comfortable, even in a big land rover like this one, but it was better than being close to Sendak. 

He ended the call, and after a few more draws on his cigarette, stubbed it out, then tossed it into the heather beneath the tailboard as he got to his feet. He eyed the rag that she’d been gagged with before, then tossed that over the edge too. “I think I can at least spare you from tasting your own vomit,” he offered as explanation, before walking away, rustling around in the backseat. 

Right, because of course he was worried about that. No longer held up, Katie slumped quickly against the side of the boot, trying to enjoy the cool of the metal against her forehead. It was dulling the airy, swimming disorientation a little, and helped clear her mind a little as she tried to get her thoughts into some kind of order. 

“…re are you taking me?” she mumbled. “W-Where is this place?”

She didn’t think he’d reply to her, but Sendak chuckled as he rummaged. “And here I thought you’d lost your nerve completely.” She heard footsteps, and Sendak reappeared. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that, Katie,” he continued, holding out what looked like an unwrapped muesli bar. “It wouldn’t be fair to worry with you with information you don't need.”

The thought of it made her stomach churn. She ought to eat. She knew she ought to but she didn’t want to be sick again so she shook her head, turning away from it. “…’ll be sick.” 

Sendak grunted, then held out the water bottle again. That she did take a few sips of; she might not want to eat, but the water was a blissful relief. She took a few more hesitant mouthfuls of it, only cringing and coughing when she felt his hand on her face, turning her head back towards it when she figured she’d had enough. 

“A few more,” he said. “It’ll be a while before we stop again.”

Katie pulled her face away from the directive, loose grip, shaking her head. Why did he even care? What was the point of all this? 

“A few more,” he repeated, less patiently, gripping the back of her head through her short choppy hair, holding the water bottle to her lips insistently.“Even if you’re not thirsty now, I will not allow you to get dehydrated Katie.”

“What does it matter?” she muttered. “You’re just going to…” Kill her. The words stuck in her throat. “…you said so.” Words were not her strong suit at that moment. She couldn’t remember when she’d last been able to think straight.

Sendak frowned at her, setting the water bottle down on the floor beside her. “What did I say?” he asked. She shook her head, and his thumb brushed over her cheek. “Come now—”

 _Clink_. The lighter snapped and she shuddered, tearing up again.

“—tell me what’s on your mind Katie.”

“…oing to kill me,” she choked out, shrinking as way as much as she could before Sendak’ s grip on her face kept her from moving any further. “…re’s Bogh? He promised…”

“When did I say that Katie?”

She shook her head, shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t know when she had heard it. She didn’t even know what day it was anymore. How was she supposed to know who said what when she had trouble just trying to remember what wasn’t a drug induced dream?

“I see,” he hummed in thought. “I think you’re overthinking things, mixing them up,” he said, slicing his knife through an old t-shirt sitting next to the blindfold and everything else he’d brought from the back of the car. “If I kill you before checking your father’s prototype, and it doesn’t work, he won’t fix it. Will he?”

She shook her head. “So, I can’t kill you, can I?” he asked, holding up the water bottle. “Come on, drink up a little more.

Katie turned her face away from it, shaking her head. She wasn't hallucinating. She wasn’t mixed up. She had heard him say he was going to ‘ _light her up_ ’. She wasn’t confused. She’d _heard_ him say it.

“After you will,” she mumbled, exhusted. She didn’t want to talk about this. She was tired. “...less it works.”

“Unless?” Sendak frowned. “Unless what works?” he asked, gripping her chin and forcing her to look up. She flinched and tried to pull away again. “Katie, I need you to concentrate,” he said, grip turning little firmer forcing her to look up at him as he leaned over her. “Think very carefully for me, then I'll give you something to help you sleep again; doesn’t that sound better?”

No. It didn’t. She didn’t want to be drugged again, but if it meant he’d leave her alone, that she’d have a few moments of peace from him, that she could block all of this out, and wouldn’t need to worry about saying things she shouldn't, then it was still infinitely better than staying awake.

She nodded, mutely.

“Then be a good girl, and tell me what were you talking about,” he instructed, his tone gritted through his teeth. “What’s going to work?”

She shook her head. She didn't want to talk. She shouldn't talk to him at all. Last time she had to talk to Sendak, she'd told him things she shouldn’t have. She couldn't remember if there was anything she needed to not talk about this time though. Everything was so blurry. She couldn’t even remember when she had spoken to her parents. 

She knew Sendak wanted to kill her, but that kind of thing was hard to forget, even if the details weren’t clear. It was less of a memory and more a lingering idea, something she knew but couldn’t place where from, and so ingrained that she couldn't tell where memory started and fear began.

Her lack of response irked him however, and within moments, he showed the displeasure snapping his lighter on and off against her ear and she screamed in fright, her voice echoing around the cold, barren wilderness he’d taken her to. 

“I asked you a question Katie. Come on now—” 

_On. Off. On. Off. On. Off._

“—you’ve been doing so well. Be honest with me.”

Each snap and flicker and crackle made her shudder in fear and revulsion, and she cringed and screamed and screwed her eyes shut through the sobs, trying to block it out and pull her hair out of his grip. 

On the last snap he led the clicker down, letting the flame flicker, its heat tingling close to her skin, and Katie dropped her protests for the sake of her own sanity; she couldn’t take this anymore. Any of it.

“…y soulmate…” she sobbed, before realising what she had said, fear creeping further into her. 

‘ _I’d keep your comments about those to yourself here, Princess._ ’

Bogh had told her not to tell him. He’d told her hadn't he? The first day she really woke up, yelled at him for stabbing her in the back. He’d gagged her, and told her not to talk to Sendak about her words. Told her he wouldn’t like it. All his lies aside, she knew that had been an honest warning, and she’d ignored it.

Sendak stared at her, then he laughed, dropping his grip on her and letting her slump against the floor; the sound itself wasn’t necessarily cruel but the way it gave him amusement was, and it stung at her as he snapped the lighter close, chuckling to himself. “You think your soulmate is going to rescue you?” he asked, picking up the t-shirt and tearing it easily.

Numbly, she nodded, and his laughter became barking for a moment, before selecting a strip of the shirt and rolling it up.

“If that’s all you’re counting on,” he continued to chuckle, gripping her jaw and forcing the rag into her mouth. “Then I must apologise for doubting you, and for being the voice of reason.”

He cut a short stip of the microfoam tape from the roll, forcing her jaw closed around the rag and pressing it down over her mouth and jaw.

“You should try not to believe in the impossible Katie,” he said, mirth still in his voice as he began to wind the roll around her head, over the first strip, tearing it off and pressing the end down at the back of her neck. “Fate isn’t going to help you,” he said, his voice hushed, like he was trying to be reassuring.

He smoothed the creases out of the tape a little, thumbs drawing over her mouth, her cheeks, a mocking gesture of comfort that made her feel sick again, like he was trying to smooth the fight and energy out of her. “Nobody’s going to find you if they don’t know where to look for you, so you shouldn’t worry about things you can’t control.”

From the corner of her eye, she could see the needle, sitting with the rest of the torn-up shirt and the roll of tape he’d set down. 

Sendak caught the direction of her gaze, and reached out with a hand, wiping away one of the tears that had been streaming over her face for a while. “I have no personal dislike towards you Katie; your family is one of the more sensible ones i’ve seen. You can’t be blamed for believing in fallacies,” he said.

Her skin crawled at the touch, and she shivered at the horror in the simple words too, the absolute sincerity he spoke with as he reached for the needle. “I was too harsh. Maybe when this is over, you’ll change your mind, but I believe I promised you sleep, and we should be on our way.”

He tied the blindfold back around her eyes, then she felt his fingers sedately pulling back the neck of her jumper, holding it aside. The short prick of the needle stung her skin for a moment. 

Katie felt herself going limp and dark under the effects of the drug; it was working faster than usual, probably because she was still semi-delirious, but she tried to blot Sendak’s words out of her mind.

“It’s not much longer now,” he said, voice soft and chilling as he brushed the neckline of her shirt back into place. “When you'll wake up, I assure you, everything will be back on schedule.” His footsteps crunched onto the dirt as he flipped up the tail board.

She ignored him, listening instead to distant sound of pneumatic air as the boot lid closed; maybe counting on her soulmate _was_ a one in a million chance, but her words weren’t impossible. 

They’d been more unlikely once, but now, they had every chance, and instead she tried to focus on her mother’s encouragement, her assurance, the only words she’d heard that day worth trusting. They weren’t impossible, not as long as her parents and the police were still looking for her; they would find her. She’d be okay. Her words weren’t impossible. Sendak was wrong.

The car started to hum again, and jostled her as Sendak resumed whatever journey he had planned, like it was trying to shake her belief out of her, finally grind her down, but she clung to her mother’s words, and the reassurance printed on her wrist. 

Her soulmate would find her. She was sure of it. It was a long shot, a one in a million chance but she’d believed it when this started, and Katie continued to do so.

There was no other option for her if her father really had finished Sendak’s prototypes; if she wanted to live, she had to.

* * *

Another quick trip back with Katie's POV. Three more chapters in Katie's POV left~

Stick with me. Trust me. Please, I swear, there will be one. ~~I can't watch stuff. like this IRL. All I watch is twitch streams, simstubers, cooking shows, Disney films and David Attenborough documentaries. I can't take much more of this either.~~

**I BELIEVE IN HAPPY ENDINGS GODDAMNIT❤︎**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ❖ As Katie expected Sendak drugs her after she is done talking with her family. When she wakes up again she has dim memories of being moved, but isn't sure until she works out that she is moving (probably in the boot of a car) and realises she's being take somewhere else.
> 
> ❖ Knowing she is being moved makes her uneasy because there is usually a reason for it, and she has no idea what it is.
> 
> ❖ She screams when the car throws her around a little, and not long later the car stops. Sendak opens the boot with his usual pleasantry, glad she's awake from apparent concern about drugging her too much.
> 
> ❖ Eventually, more scared of being alone anywhere without knowing what's going on. with Sendak than his wrath for looking around when he's already taken the blindfold and gag off. she realises they're out on open moorland somewhere, and sees some Yalmors running off into the night.
> 
> ❖ Sendak gives her some water, which she tries to drink, but also makes her throw up at first; Sendak hauls her to the edge of the tail gate until she's done, and exhausted from the effort. 
> 
> ❖ He leans her agains the back of the backseats and sits down on the tailgate for a cigarette, which immediately puts her on edge. He tells her he wants her to pass a message to her parents, and that he'll be all too willing to tell her parents where to find her after he's seen the model.
> 
> ❖ Katie doesn't believe a word he says, refusing to bend into his coaxes about wanting to go home, or wanting to see her family again until he makes the phone call, and she hears her mother's voice.
> 
> ❖ Sendak prevents her from responding after her initial reaction, and instead tells Colleen to try and make her feel more like sharing.
> 
> ❖ Katie talks to her mother, screaming when one of the Yalmor's lets out a call somewhere, and tries to tell her that Sendak is lying. She eventually trusts her mother's promises that they will find her more than her fear of Sendak, and tells them where to take the prototype.
> 
> ❖ Sendak cuts off the call, then sends some more specifics in a text, and has another few draws of the cigarette before dropping his grip on her. He goes into the back of the car for a while and she the cool of the metal of the frame helps her clear her head enough to try and ask where they are.
> 
> ❖ Sendak is glad to see she hasn't ' _lost her nerve_ ' but claims it isn't fair to worry her with information she doesn't need, and offers her a muesli bar. She turns it away and he tries, albeit with a little force but not roughly, to get her to drink some more water. He refuses to let her to get dehydrated.
> 
> ❖ She asks why he's bothering when he's just going to kill her anyway. Her wording bothers Sendak, and he starts snapping his lighter in her. ear, and asks her what he told her. Katie panics, but reveals that he said he would kill her, and asks where Bogh is. 
> 
> ❖ Sendak ignores her panic, and instead asks her when; Katie tells him she doesn't know, genuinely because she doesn't thanks to all the drugs. Sendak ' _reasons_ ' with her that she's mixing things up and over thinking. He explains that he can't kill her before he's checked her father's prototype, because if it doesn't work he won't fix it. Katie grudgingly accepts the logic, but refuses more water and insists that he's just going to kill her after, ' _unless it works._ '
> 
> ❖ Sendak is more carful as he prompts her to tell him what she's talking about, coaxing her and telling to think carefully and that he'll give her something to help her ' _sleep, doesn't that sound better?_ '
> 
> ❖ Katie disagrees but decides that at least if she's drugged she won't have to deal with him and it's already inevitable, so she nods, but is still reluctant.
> 
> ❖ Sendak prompts her with the lighter again, and eventually she tells him she's referring to her soulmate, despite Bogh's warning not to being one of the few things that she'd actually believed.
> 
> ❖ Sendak process this, then laughs, and apologises for doubting her but offers to be a ' _voice of reason_ ' as he gags her again, telling her that Fate isn't going to help her because nobody is going to find her if they don't know where to look, and that she shouldn't worry about things she can't control.
> 
> ❖ He adds that her family is one of the more reasonable ones, even if she cant help believing fallacies. He apologises for being ' _too harsh_ ' and drugs and blindfolds her again. He tells her it wont be much longer, and tells her that when she wake sup things will be back on schedule.
> 
> ❖ Katie clings onto then and her mother's reassurances, because she knows they're the only option she has left.


	18. Much To Close To Stop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check the Series Notes and Tags for Content Warnings. This chapter especially contains scenes of Psychological Torture, Psychological Manipulation, Physical Abuse, Death Threats, and mentions of being burned alive.
> 
> TL:DR in the end notes.

When she awoke, Katie knew she was no longer in the car, mainly because her head wasn’t spinning as much, nor was she being jostled and lurched around. They had stopped, and she was in yet another unknown location.

She felt the usual nausea and achiness and slight delirium that followed the drug Sendak had been using on her, and tried to concentrate. Her head was singing, but it was obvious as she opened her eyes that she was still blindfolded. She couldn’t see a thing. 

She could smell dust and wood, and her skin prickled as a draught drew cold air across her neck and back. Shivering, Katie shifted trying to ignore the aches and nausea in favour of listening, moving around, and in doing so find out as much as she could in her limitations. 

Behind the scent of dust and wood was the damp and cold; it was the kind of sinking chill that lingered in the air of autumn and didn’t leave until she could get in front of a log burner or a heater, that made the air smell mouldy and left a chill in peoples’ bones.

Wherever she was, it was an old building, without much modern insulation; she was also more or less sitting upright.

Her arms were pulled behind her still, but they were tied low behind something hard, with corners that dug into her back a little. The ropes around her shoulders were pulling her up against it, and she could feel the edges digging at her back. A pole? Piping of some sort? Maybe a column?

She couldn’t tell exactly. An experimental kick told her that her legs were still tied, and she was still gagged, but she wasn't deaf—apparently, despite telling him that was how she figured her way out of her second cell room, Sendak didn't think he needed to take any further precautions with her and figure our a way to deprive her of her hearing too.

It was to her benefit though; as crappy as she felt and as hard as it was to focus, her own unease mad her still pay attention where she could, and sometimes she could hear creaking above her head. Floorboards. Dim voices, the closing of doorways, but not much else.

The she heard the drone of a hovercar, disappearing. She tried yelling out, unsure if it would do any good (they were all probably Sendak’s goons anyway), but unable to see any loss for herself in trying. Her throat stung as she yelled out, the sound hardly carrying beyond her own ears, dismally quiet.

Sighing, she slumped back against the pillar—she was assuming it was a pillar—and closed her eyes, trying to will away her frustration. If there were any friendly faces nearby, they weren’t going to hear her.

She couldn’t see anything, and opening them beneath the blindfold was kind of uncomfortable with the tightness of it anyway, but relaxing made it a little easier to bear as she summarised what little she knew; she was awake, somewhere chilly old and damp, and was tied to a pillar of some kind.

There really wasn’t much else to know with her current limitations.

Taking a breath again, she tried not to let that get to her. She was still alive; that was a positive. She could still try and get herself out of this. She just had to keep _trying_. If she gave up on trying to escape now just because she was scared of what she didn’t know, she was just letting Sendak do what he wanted.

If she’d stopped trying to run before, she would never have been as close to freedom as she had managed. She wouldn’t have been able to tell the police where she was. She wouldn’t have been able to figure out the shifts and movements of her captors, the layout of the base, and made it to that take-away.

She wouldn’t have been able to have faced trying to bargain with Sendak, convince him to let her help her father instead of burning her eyes out. She had managed to survive this far with only minimal injury—she had a few scratches, admittedly and what she assumed was PTSD, but she hadn’t been maimed for the rest of her life—so she still had a chance, right?

She had a chance of making her way out of this as long as she kept figuring things out. She’d have to be faster now, but she had to have a chance. Her words had to mean that.

Her words could be from a paramedic, or maybe someone else she still hadn’t met, sometime when she could trust that there was something familiar or reassuring around her. Somewhere in the future, in _her_ future. She still had a chance, but she'd only get it if she kept trying.

Resting her head against the pillar, Katie calmed her heartbeat from panic that came with waking in another unknown location and tried to think. She was tied to a post. She couldn’t yell for help. She couldn’t see anything. She didn’t know where she was. She hadn’t heard any footsteps for a while, and it felt like days had passed since she had woken up.

What could she do?

She couldn’t really trust her judgement of the time—at this point, it was completely and utterly fucked, frankly—but she felt much clearer headed, something which usually took a few hours based on her past experience. Someone usually came in to check on her within a few minutes of waking too. Once Bogh, recently Macidus, or more recently, Sendak himself, but so far, there had been no-one. Katie assumed that meant no-one was around, or they were otherwise distracted.

Shifting, she tried moving her arms, trying to figure out how she had been tied. She could feel where her wrists had been crossed on top of each other, backs against the wood, palms and fingers loose in to the damp scented air. 

There was the rope on her shoulders that was holding her sitting up, and she frowned as she tried to stretch her fingers. If she could reach the knots on her wrists, she might be able to untie herself. Maybe? She was exhausted, and it was hard to concentrate, but what did she have to lose?

Wincing as she twisted her wrists, she tried to turn them inward, feel around the post. She could only really manage one at a time, and even that was hard, but she managed, and caught the feel of something stretched on top of some of the ropes.

It felt like gaffer or duct tape; she was willing to bet it was covering the knots from the extra bumps she could feel in the texture. They were larger, more prominent beneath it than just the coils around her wrists were. Going back to the task again after a moment’s rest, she tried to angle her wrist so that she could scrape her nails against the tape. She had to find the end.

Her muscles screamed at the awkward angles she had to try and twist herself into, and the corners of the square post dug uncomfortably into her back as she twisted. Between her stops to catch her breath, it felt like it took an hour just to find and start prying up the end.

But it was... doing something. As long as she was patient, she could scoot around the pole, shifting herself in a dizzying circle around it, scraping with her fingers and rolling the tape into. a ball as she went, pace painfully slow as she tried to focus.

Finally, after what felt like an age, she managed to pry it away, then continued shifting around the pole, the awkward twists, inching and inching it away with slow movements. Each tug and twist against the rope to the point that it felt like it was burning through the tightness and texture that pulled on her skin, but she was getting somewhere.

Awkwardly folding the tape over itself so that it didn’t stick to her fingers, she let it drop to the floor, and paused to catch her breath again, collect herself and let her spinning head rest. Once she didn’t feel like she was going to be sick again, she steadied her breathing, and focused again, feeling around for the knots in the ropes.

They were right beside her wrists, just like she'd thought, and it meant more painful, awkward twisting but this was arguably easier than freeing herself from how she’d been tied up before had been; a little slack had built up from all the angling she’d had to do to get the tape off. If she steadied herself, and used the opposite hand from where the knots were tied, then once she’d twisted a bit, she could reach them.

She noticed that her nails had grown a little more in the past weeks, and her ability to scrape with them thanks to the extra length helped; it felt like her arms were going to break, but finally, she managed to pull enough of a loop free from the knots that she could grab it with her fingers.

Elation shuddered through her, and Katie had to take a breath to keep herself from getting over excited, from feeling like she’d made too much progress. She couldn’t get ahead of herself. One loop wasn't enough. Taking another breath, and concentrated again, pulling the loop free, then tugging, and tugging, loosening the rest of the ropes. 

They slackened a little more each time, and tension around her wrist slowly began to slacken. Then it dissipated as the ropes on her wrists slipped off over her fingers and she could move her arms a little more freely. The ones around her shoulders still needed working on, but she allowed herself the milestone.

She kept going. The first thing she tried was pulling off the blindfold, which she managed by leaning her head to one side and yanking at with one hand. She couldn’t get the gag off though; it was fastened too tight around her mouth for her to pry off with just one arm yet.

Blinking repeatedly, trying to get her eyes used to light again, she looked around at the room she was in. The lights were dim enough that she could roughly make out some of her surroundings, and in one of the old stone walls on the left was a heavy metal door, and a camera and computer was set up in front of her.

The floors were made of wood, as was the ceiling and all the column supports dotted around. Against the wall she could see heavy-looking levers, with handles akin to bike brakes, and what looked like a lifting mechanism against one of the pillars, attached to something in the roof, like a platform.

The technical setup was not something that filled her with confidence—she'd never been left in the same room as the computer before—but if she could get into it, she could maybe tell someone where she was. Or was she being too hopeful? 

No, anything that might help her was a chance with taking at this point.

Reaching her arms up to the ropes around her arms and chest, she tried to push herself down and out from beneath them, but she was too close to the floor to get the right angle. So, she had to work on those too. At least for those the the knots were easy to find. they were digging into her back, but she could reach them.

She just had to lean forward and work her fingers up between the gap between her back and the post. She might not be able to wriggle out, but now that part of her hands were free, she could slide down on the floor a little to make room for her fingers as she angled them up behind her. It meant leaning her head and neck awkwardly against the pole for a while, and it felt a little suffocating with the rag stuffed between her jaws, but she tried to ignore the feeling.

After another eternity, she caught the knots with her fingertips. Trying not to get excited again, Katie clung to them before her arms could drop from ache and effort, and lose them. She just needed a little more work on the knots, a little more slack…

Holding her breath, trying to make herself as small as she could to widen the gap between her arms and the post, she pulled carefully, trying to work out the fastenings. Then finally, she had one of them. Pulling the thin cotton cord free, she pulled again, loosening the second of the knots and frantically yanking the bondings loose. 

Then she pulled against the loops around her shoulders and finally slumped in relief as the tension lifted. Had she really done it? It felt like it had been too easy. She wouldn’t put it past herself to be hallucinating after all the drugs Sendak had pumped into her.

No. No, she wasn’t hallucinating. The floor was cold where she'd slumped after the effort. Cool and a bit bumpy against her skin. She just had to untie her legs, then get to her feet, and hopefully get out of the room. Reaching in front of her, she pulled the ropes off enough to lift them over her head.

Then, Katie pulled her knees up and leaned on them as she reached behind her head and began to pull and scrape at the microfoam tape. Finding the end, she yanked it off, ignoring the slight sting as it tugged her hair, spitting out the rag once she had managed to peel it off her mouth.

Breathing freely, she inhaled, leaning back against the floor just for a moment. Breath over, she sat up again reaching for the ropes around her knees, fingers shaking. One of her nails was bleeding, probably from scraping the post or something wrong, but before she could even register any discomfort from it, she heard the echo of a heavy door somewhere above her head, the mumble of voices. Footsteps coming down from somewhere above her louder and louder, fast paced.

"...ought you said she was secure!"

"She was. Now she's not. I don't know what to tell you."

No, no, no, no, no! Not Now! Not when she was almost loose.The footsteps echoed at the left of the room, near the door she had seen and dread began to swallow her. She heard the footsteps stop and the keys start to scrape as she scrambled with the last ropes on her ankles. Even if she could just hide—

The door opened with a heavy clang as Sendak stalked into the room, his rage efficient through the thud of his footsteps and silence to curdled her stomach. Realising she had been caught Katie tried to avoid him, shuffling herself back, pushing herself away from him with her hands and feet as he towered towards her.

“You keep catching us by surprise Miss Holt,” he said, “A few more minutes and I might have been too late.” Katie stiffened as her back hit solid brick; he’d backed her into a corner.

“Let go of me!” she screamed as he yanked one of her upper arms, hoisting her up so she was hanging from his grip. “Get off! Get off! Get off! Let me go! Let me go!”

“What did you do to your father’s plans?” he demanded calmly, his voice sharp.

Katie dug her fingers against his grip with her free hand, clawing at it with her nails, trying everything she could to get him to release it as he hung her in the air. She kicked at him with her legs, but he caught her jaw before she could try biting his hand.

His fingers squeezed around her neck and she seized in panic, gasping for breath until the grip faded. “I asked you a question Katie.”

“G-Go fuck yourself,” she coughed in the moment he gave her to breathe. 

Sendak eyed her, all his derision and fury in the snarl curling on his lip. “I meant it you know,” he said as she struggled in his grip. “I really do admire your determination...” He took hold of the front of her jumper instead. “...but I’m afraid you’ve tested me once time too many.”

His fist connected with her jaw. Or her eye? She couldn’t even tell. It felt like it caught both as he slammed his fist against her skin, dropping her to the floor. Shielding her head with her arms as he dropped her, she caught a glimpse of the doorway; it was still open, and she could see a set of stairs lifting upwards, beside a narrow, old stone delivery ramp, and smell fresh air being blown into the room.

Her head was spinning, and the blow had left her feeling sick again, but she could see a figure beyond the doorway, at the entry to the chute. Watching, leaning against the wall, was the woman with the platinum grey hair. Something connected with her stomach and she couched and yelped from the sudden pain.

“What did you do to the prototype?” Sendak asked again, turning her onto her back with his foot as she tried to get her breath and not reel from the violent attack he’d indulged on her. “There’s no need for any of this if you just tell me what I want to know Katie.”

His knee pressed into her chest as he crouched down to murmur into her ear. She could hear herself screaming as he flicked the lighter on and off into her ear, but she gritted her teeth through it, shaking her head and screwing her eyes closed.

“I-I’m not going to help you make my dad murder people,” she rasped; her throat was stinging and she could taste blood in her mouth, but Katie refused to let him think she’d give up on her own life without any of her own input. “I’m not going to let you ruin my dad’s reputation! I’m not telling you...” she had to take a breath as Sendak’s weight on her chest threatened to crash her through the floorboard or crack her ribs. “...a thing!”

Sendak smiled at her. “So stubborn, so brave,” he sneered, leaning up a little; the relief of his weight lifting away from her coughed and spluttered in her chest and throat until his foot snapped down on her right wrist. “Where does that determination come from?”

Katie screamed as the sole of his boot ground into her skin.

“I wonder if you’ll feel so brave once those words you seem to trust so much have been purified from your skin.”

Still screaming and crying from the pain in her wrist, Katie whipped her head around, trying to see what else was going on. Purify her words? She watched as Sendak nodded towards something, and Macidus picked up the blow torch again.

She could feel her own blood chilling her veins as it shuddered and froze. “No! No! No! No! No!” she screamed, trying to push his foot off of her arm. “No! Stop! Stop! Stop! No!”

It wasn’t budging. Sendak grabbed her left arm, holding her wrist down against the floor. His knee was pressing into her chest again and she kicked and struggled, trying to push him off, glancing frantically back and forth as Macidus walked across the room from the table and handed Sendak the blow torch.

He took it, clicking it on and off a few times, the roaring flame a scream in her ears. “I must admit, I’m intrigued to know what words could make you so fearless Katie,” he said, lifting his foot just enough to pull her sleeve up. He flicked the torch on beside her ear. She could feel the heat just shy of burning her ear, smell the gas fuelling it. “Last chance now,” he hissed in her ear. “Tell me what you did to my designs!”

Her chest felt like it was being crushed. She ought to just agree. It had stopped things like this before, and if Sendak wanted his prototypes to work, then he couldn’t kill her. Logically she knew that. But she didn’t believe it though. And she was sick to death of letting him do what he wanted. She couldn’t let him ruin her dad, her family’s reputation by using them through her to commit mass murder.

She was sure that if she hadn’t sabotaged the designs, she’d already be dead. There was no way a terrorist was going to let a hostage who’d been around them as long as she had been live. It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t practical. If she was going to end up dead anyway, she might as well keep this chance she’d made and stop—or at least delay—him from going through with whatever horrors he planned on using the neutralisers for.

Gritting her teeth, screwing her eyes closed so she didn’t cry any more than she had to, tasting blood in her mouth, she turned her head and took far more satisfaction than she should have as she spat in Sendak’s face.

He wiped the red tinged spit from his eye with a sigh of frustration. "Very well Katie,” he said simply. “Gag her again. Let’s not start taking chances now. This place isn't as dead as I'd like it to be. One idiot walking their dog is all we need now.”

Katie flinched at the words; did that mean she was near people? That she was somewhere she could be found? The roar of the torch picked up, and she screamed and screamed for help with every breath in her until Macidus had shoved the rag back in her mouth.

Sendak pulled back her shirt sleeve as she kicked and writhed and struggled, then the roar of the blow torch stopped. "What’s this?” Sendak’s gaze on her arm was shocked, then he looked at the one he was holding down onto the floor. “ Left-handed words?” he laughed as she squirmed, trying to shake him off, pull her arm back, free herself. 

She tried to hold her arm back from his grip, but he pulled and turned it towards him easily.

“You’re… safe… now…”

The sound of Sendak mumbling _her_ words was worse than the possibility of having them burnt off. The sound churned her stomach and she _screamed_ at him through the rag.

“Oh Katie,” Sendak laughed, covering her mouth with one hand as she tried to spit the rag out. “These really are exquisite!” She didn’t like the sound of his laughter. It made her feel sick. It didn’t sound mocking or pitying, but satisfied. Too satisfied. “What do you think?” he asked turning his attention towards the woman, who was watching them both. 

She pursed her lips. “Perhaps it’s something,” she said finally, heels clacking on the floorboards as she crossed the room. “Give me your phone.”

Sendak nodded to his jacket pocket and she slipped it out. Katie watched as she took a few photos of her arm, held steady by Sendak despite her struggles, then of the whole scene, and one of her face, the flash in the dim lighting stabbing her eyes.

Once she was done Sendak twisted her onto her front, his knee pressing onto her back as he held her down and pulled her arms behind her, wrapping the ropes back around her wrists. The one he’d been standing on hurt far more than it ought to just from the sores already on it.

While he was distracted, she managed to spit the gag out, screaming for help again at the top of her lungs as Sendak dragged her back towards the pillar. “Get everything set up,” he said to Macidus, shoving the rag back into her mouth once he had dumped her at the base. 

Katie flinched as Sendak pulled her wrists up behind her like before, only instead of her back, he pressed them flat against the wood, tight, coiling rope around them, then around her shoulders. Her hands were pressing into her back as he tied it off at her front. Several times she tried to spit the rag out before Sendak apparently got fed up and just clamped her jaw shut with his hand, letting someone else finish off.

Her back was squashing her hands flat against the wood of the square pillar, and she could hardly scrape them around. Whoever had tied her before had been lax compared to this. They’d practically left her loose. Her arm felt like it had been snapped in two the way it had been pulled behind her again.

Macidus, who had disappeared back through the door she could no longer see, brought in one of the prototypes dumping it along with what looked like a fuel canister beside her.

“Now then,” he said, turning her face towards the prototype; he was uncomfortably close, holding her face and murmuring into her ear, smoke and tobacco nauseating under her nose. “You’ll know better than me how this works Katie, but while I can’t set this to explode the way it was supposed to, I can still make use of it,” he said as she tried to pull his face from his grip. “I’ll give you once chance; tell me what you did to the designs, and I’ll tell your father to fix everything.”

Katie cringed as his breath curled warm on her ear and haunts her neck, trying not to feel sick for the assurance he was using in his voice. “If you don’t tell me, now,” he said, a little angrier than before. “Then we’re going to give it two hours and find how reliable those words of yours really are.”

Her eyes fell on the canister and it didn’t take much thinking to know what he meant by that, and fear crippled her throat and chest of breath in fear. They really were going to burn her alive.

“Just nod or shake your head Katie, yes or no,” Sendak reminded gently, running his hand over her hair, the comforting gesture making her feel sick. “I promise, if you tell me what needs to be fixed, this will all be over.”

No. She couldn’t listen to him. Katie could feel tears again but she had to ignore anything Sendak told her. She _knew_ he was lying. She’d heard as much. If she told him what he wanted he’d just kill her anyway. If he was threatening to kill her sooner, then at least she could make his life harder in the process. She didn’t want to die, and she wasn’t giving up, but she couldn’t let him have those designs.

He lifted his hand from her jaw, and she creamed for the short moment she could before he clamped it back down again. "I'm disappointed; I really thought you were smarter than that Katie," Sendak sighed, cramming the rag back into her mouth and slapping a strip of the microfoam tape over it.

Once he was done, leaving her sagging against the ropes holding her up from exhaustion and dizziness, Sendak joined Macidus and the woman, mumbling between themselves, not really trying to be quiet, but far enough away that she couldn’t really make anything out. After fidgeting with the computer with the domputer he, Macidus and the woman all left the room. 

She watched, trying to kick and struggle however she could as they puttered around across the room setting up the computer and camera on the table opposite, uncaring and oblivious as she tried to focus on her hands again, trying to pull and twist her them free before they wandered off.

The rope binding her wrists to the post was the same length tied and pulled around her front, holding her back against them. She couldn't loosen it like before. Every movement just made them tighter on her wrists. her right one was screaming with pain now, and the dismay was overwhelming.

She refused to stop. Katie could tell what this was already, but she refused to give her life up voluntarily.

After maybe half an hour of trying to free herself again, her efforts hadn’t had much success, and she had to stop and catch her breath, her energy, try to work through the spinning in her head. She felt sick. Dizzy. Her wrist hurt. She felt like crying again. Wash she crying?

A recording light came to life on the camera, blinking blood red. Did it mean her dad and the police were being called again? Katie’s stomach churned; were they going to kill her live on camera? Before she could think too much more about it she realised she could hear something. 

‘ _...atie?_ ’

Was that her dad’s voice? She couldn’t see anything on the computer screen this time. Just the blinking camera light.

‘ _Katie? Katie, sweetheart, can you hear me?_ ’

She shouted as best she could, trying to let him know she could hear him, trying again with the restraints. She had to fight the urge to just yank and pull on them. It would just make the knots tighter.

Her dad kept talking to her, his familiarity reassuring her despite the panic in his own voice. Katie tried to hold onto it as much as she could. She knew there were people trying to help her. The police hadn’t abandoned her yet, and her parents hadn’t. No matter what Sendak said, she still had a chance.

She was still scared though. 

‘ _Hello? Is someone there! Please!_ ’ Her dad yelled out desperately over the speakers. ‘ _What’s going on? What’s happening?_ ’

Time ticked and ticked and nothing happened. She couldn’t reach the knots in the ropes, or loosen her hands. Sendak hadn’t even come back into the room. Then everything went quiet until the crackle of a phone line, and another familiar voice joined the audio.

‘ _Hello?_ ’

‘ _DCI Hawkins,_ ’ Sendak’s voice echoed through the room. _‘I’m afraid that after testing Mr Holt’s device, the results are far less than what I was expecting. He has failed my request, and so I will be fulfilling the promises I made to him during our first meeting._ ’

‘ _No! No, please there has to be a mistake!_ ’ her dad cried out.

His dismay felt like her own, curdling in her veins, her attempts to free herself frozen; Katie knew that Sendak had been planning this. She had for days, possibly weeks, maybe longer (Bogh had told her, and so had Sendak her first day of being held hostage), but she didn’t want to hear it.

‘ _Only if you don’t let him fix whatever problem has occurred,_ ’ the detective said, quickly jumping into the conversation, trying to reason and rationalise. ‘ _Mr Holt can still fix whatever issues have come up with the full design,_ ’ he said, possibly hoping he could make Sendak pause. ‘ _It’s a prototype. Don’t first physical designs normally have design flaws?_ ’

Katie wondered how he could be so calm. Then again it was his job. She wondered how many times he'd had to deal with situations like this. She tried to remember what his name was, and memories of the first call, when he interrupted Sendak popped to mind.

DCI Keith Hawkins; whether by the dizziness or the panic she was trying to keep in check, she had an errant thought that his initials were the same as her own. 

‘ _Indeed, it’s as you say; I expected some issues, and was initially inclined to do as you suggest, but I fear Mr Holt will not be able to do so,_ ’ Sendak said, sounding far too content with his reluctant words.

‘ _You don’t know that,_ ’ the detective said in a pointed voice. ‘ _Send us the data on what happened, please; everyone can still get what they want out of this!_ ’

His attempt fell on deaf ears and there was a click as the call ended. Then the door opened. Looking towards it, Katie had little option besides to watch as Sendak, thick protective industrial gloves on his hands, striding through the room towards the canister and brought it towards her, unscrewing the cap. 

She screamed as he emptied the acrid contents over her head, sloshing a mixture of sludge-like gel and stinking liquid all over her head, shoulders, her legs as she thrashed, trying to avoid the stream of flammable liquids. Komar—the slimy blue fuel couldn’t be mistaken for anything else—seeped across the floor beneath the prototype as she yelled out as best she could (Sendak had said there were people, she had to keep screaming out, she had to keep trying). It felt warm where it soaked her clothes or drizzled over her skin.

“My apologies; the connection was very uncooperative,” Sendak said, once he’d shaken the last of the dregs from the canister, letting it clatter off to one side after turning back towards the screen. “In response to your question, I’m afraid I cannot. If I thought it was possible I would, but Katie told me her first day here that Mr Holt was unable to fulfil my request, and I’m afraid the magnitude of the issues was a little too much to be simple error by my reckoning, and far beyond his scope.”

‘ _Please, don’t do this! Please, I did everything the way you asked. It should have worked!_ ’ Her father begged as she continued to yell and scream, ignoring the sting and scrape and searing in her throat. She just needed one person to hear her. ‘ _I-I’ll do whatever you need to fix it, please, just stop! Please don’t hurt her!_ ’

“Indeed, you did Mr holt, as much as you were able, but the faults were very suspect, and given how much input your daughter needed to give you on the project, I knew you would need her assistance to fix the designs,” Sendak replied, the rough material of the gloves grating on her skin as his fingers clenched around her jaw; the condescension and smug triumph made her wish she could spit in his face again, but she had to settle for the most furious glare she could manage. “So, Katie and I had a little chat again, didn’t we?”

‘ _I–I don’t understand! They should have worked! What do you mean by that?_ ’ Her father cried out, his voice shaking.

The words paused her defiant reaction to Sendak’s groping; her dad didn’t know what was wrong with the designs. Of course he didn’t. Guilt chewed through her, and boiled in the corner of her eyes.

Had she been wrong after all? Should she have just trusted her father? She hadn’t felt like she could at the time but had she signed her own death certificate? She felt now that she had, wincing as Sendak’s fingers yanked on her hair, turning her head towards the camera.

“Then allow me to clarify for you Mr Holt,” he said calmly. “Your daughter sabotaged the designs, right beneath our noses.”

‘ _No! Please, let her go! She hasn’t done anything wrong! Please, she doesn’t deserve this! It’s not her fault! That’s impossible! Katie wouldn’t have done something like that, she knows how important—’_

“Katie, tell your father for me,” Sendak said, his voice smooth and satisfied. “Did you interfere with his designs?”

Her father’s denials churned the guilt fresh in the corners of her eyes, and Katie screwed her eyes shut. She couldn’t even see anyone on the screen—Sendak hadn’t turned it on at all—but her own guilt hearing her dad trying to stand up for her made her ashamed to look at him.

She should have just listened to Bogh. She should have waited, been patient, avoided pissing Sendak off. She wasn’t sure her dad was going to forgive her whether she lived or died for it, but she couldn’t lie. He didn’t deserve it. Reluctantly she nodded a couple of times. 

Sendak dropped his grip on her instantly. “You see? Katie admits it herself. I assure you Mr holt, no lies are being spoken. I can’t say I’m surprised really; your daughter is fiercely determined and independent. dare I say, it’s admirable how much her interference has thrown off my schedule; I can’t say I know how or why, but her sabotage caused the prototype to incinerate itself.”

‘ _Then just give me another chance! I won’t let her help, I’ll find someone else!_ ’ her dad begged. ‘ _Please! Please don’t do this!_ ’

“I’m afraid I no longer have the time for that, and if I didn’t live up to expectations I've earned myself, how can I be taken seriously?” Sendak scoffed, as though he had been affronted by the question as he bent towards the prototype, picking up the device. “Katie has sabotaged my plans countless times, so it’s only to be expected that she pays for her interference.” 

He began to flick around with the buttons.

“Once the device detonates, it won’t explode but it will ignite the zaiforge and _—_ ” 

_00:01:00:00_

“ _—_ Katie will be burned alive, just as I told you would be if you failed.”

_00:01:30:00_

Katie screamed through the gag, her rational thinking fading as the timer began to appear on the small clock in glowing numbers, yanking at the ropes, trying to free herself.

‘ _Please, stop this!_ ’ her dad begged again. ‘ _Please let her go! Please! I thought the designs were functional, otherwise I wouldn’t have sent them to you! I’ve tried to do what you asked, you know that! Please! Please, just have some mercy on her!_ ’

_00:02:00:00_

Sendak listened, his eyes on the camera, then turned back to the setting on the timer. _“_ You make a point Mr Holt,” he conceded. “And I’m not entirely unreasonable, even as disappointed as I am now.” 

He looked towards her and for a moment, Katie froze at the scathing, triumphant sneer he gave her before he turned back to the device. 

_00:02:30:00_.

“I can’t blame Katie for trying to sabotage the plans I demanded––she was convinced I was going to kill her after receiving the prototypes _—_ and she’s impressed me,” Sendak continued in his earpiece as they raced along the hallways. “Nor can I blame you for being unable to control her decisions from a distance, so I’m going to give you both a fair chance; Katie is convinced that her soulmate is going to come to her rescue, that her words are going to save her, so I’m going to set this timer for three hours. If her soulmate shows up to her rescue before then I’ll willingly turn myself in, and if not, Katie will be all the example I need to prove that soul bonds are meaningless...”

Sendak set the prototype back down on the floor in the small pool of komar fluid, her screams of protest unheard on his ears, and struggles unseen as he turned the counter in her direction.

_00:03:00:00_

“...Goodbye Mr Holt, DCI Hawkins, I do hope fate is on your side.”

He reached over to the computer and the activity light of the camera disappeared. Sendak turned back towards her, bending down on the floor and reaching out a hand towards her again.

“I truly wish you no ill will Miss Holt,” he said. “But your words are going to make up for your lack of cooperation by being the example to the world. When you die, it’s going to prove to the watching world that souldbonds have no real value, how worthless and how unnecessary they are.”

He chuckled as she screamed and struggled. “Things would have been so much easier if you’d just cooperated Katie; I was originally going to drug you first; Bogh was adamant you shouldn’t feel anything, that you didn't deserve to suffer, but you’ve been so uncooperative I’m afraid you haven’t earned that kindness,” he sighed, his voice quiet. “You can scream as much as you like; you’re thirty feet underground. No-one’s going to find you, not even your precious soulmate.”

No. No. He was making it up. She sobbed, trying to plead, no longer ashamed of trying to beg her captor for mercy. His thumbs brushed some of the tears from beneath her eyes.

“I’m afraid we have to go now, but if you just relax this will be over before you know it. It won’t even hurt for long _—_ ” Katie screeched, trying to pull herself from his grip again, from the mocking reassurance in his descriptions and downplaying of the death he had planned for her. “ _—_ fire consumes quickly. Don’t think about it too much.” 

He smirked, and reached behind him with one hand, picking up the prototype again; to Katie’s dismay the numbers flickered backwards.

_00:02:00:00_

No. No. No. No. No.

“I did say it would be two hours,” he said, patiently, like he was explaining a simple maths mix up. to a child. “It’s only fair anyway; you sabotaged my plans after all, so I’m giving myself handicap against the police. I’m sure you understand.”

Katie screamed and screamed as he got to his feet, pulling off the gloves and dropping them onto the floor. 

“I’ve done my best to make this as comfortable for you as I can, so all that’s left is to leave you now.”

There was screech of metallic hinges, and the rest of the lights on the prototype began to flare to life.

“And who knows?” Sendak called out, voice full of mirth as the metallic clang of the stairwell doors screeched again. “Maybe your soulmate will save the day after all.”

The door slammed, the sound of heavy bolts locking into place; Katie thrashed and pulled against ropes on her as the prototype beeped, beginning the slow ticks that counted her last hours alive.

_00:01:59:59_

_00:01:59:58_

_00:01:59:57_

* * *

If you thought Sendak would play nicely with the other children then... I don't know what to tell you. Kudos to Katie this time though. Her luck isn't doing so hot, but her spine hasn't been broken yet. Tough little cookies are tough.

Two more chapters ❤︎

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ❖ Katie wakes up and after a while, realises she is no longer in the car. Coming around she works out that she is tied to a pole of some kind.
> 
> ❖ She hears footsteps, dim voices, and the sound of a car, and tries to stay positive about the fact that she's still alive. Reminding herself about her words, eventually decides to try freeing herself.
> 
> ❖ After figuring out the the knots around her wrists have been covered in gaffer tape, she tries to pry that off first. After some awkward struggling, manages to free her arms. She pulls off the blindfold, and sees that she is close to the computer, and makes that her goal with the aim of sending a message to someone.
> 
> ❖ Sendak and Macidus arrive and back her into a corner. Sendak demands to know how she sabotaged her father's prototype 
> 
> ❖ Katie tells him first to go fuck himself.
> 
> ❖ Tested ' _one too many times_ ' Sendak hits her.
> 
> ❖ He kneels on her, flicking a lighter on and off in her ear, but Katie refuses to tell him despite her fear and screaming, determined not to help him.
> 
> ❖ Lifting his knee off her chest as he ' _wonders_ ' where her bravery comes from, he slams his foot down on her right wrist, and asks her if she'll feel so brave once he's purified her words from her.
> 
> ❖ Macidus picks up the blowtorch and Sendak holds her arm down, admitting to being curious about them. He gives her a final warning , flicking the torch beside her ear.
> 
> ❖ Katie, not wanting to give him any help, or let him bully her into doing what he wants, spits blood into his face instead.
> 
> ❖ Sendak tells Macidus to gag her again, saying that the area isn't as dead as he'd like it to be, that the only need one idiot and his dog to go past for things while she's screaming to get messed up again.
> 
> ❖ Katie keeps screaming, knowing now that she is in fact close to people who might hear her until macidus does as instructed with a rag. Pausing as he goes to burn her words off, Sendak realises she had left handed words, and checks her other arm.  
> ❖ He laughs, calling them ' _exquisite_ ', before showing them to the woman. They take a few photos of her words and of her face, before Sendak ties her back against the column in front of the computer set up.
> 
> ❖ Sendak tries to coax the information from her again after macidus brings a copy of the prototype and a fuel canister into the room, setting them down beside her. If she doesn't, he says he'll give her two hours before he finds out how reliable her words really are. Knowing it won't make a difference to if she lives or dies, she refuses again.
> 
> ❖ They work on the computer for a moment before leaving the room. Katie sees a light blinking on the camera as she tries to free herself again, but comes to the conclusion that Sendak had been more thorough than the last person who strung her up.
> 
> ❖ After a while the computer comes online, and she hears her dad. he tries to talk to her and help her calm down, and offer some reassurance as she tries to talk to Sendak.
> 
> ❖ eventually Sendak's voice come on over the audio, along with the detective whose voice she has started to recognise. Her father tried to plead with Sendak after he announces that he's failed and will be living up to his threats over burning her alive.
> 
> ❖ The detective tried to reason with him, but Sendak cuts the audio, and after a moment, comes into the room with industrial standard gloves on, unscrewing the canister, and forcing them to watch as he pours it over her, then apologises for uncooperative signal, and forces her to admit that she tampered with the designs to her father.
> 
> ❖ Her dad says he'll try again without her help, but Sendak refuses, saying that one the device detonates, it won't explode, but it will ignite the Komar fluid and, set her on fire as. he sets the timer on the prototype.
> 
> ❖ Eventually, he admits he cant blame her for trying to escape, or for her dad for not being able to control her actions at a distance, so offers them both a chance; if her soulmate finds her before the timer goes off, he'll turn himself in, and if not it will prove that the cultists are right and that soulbonds are meaningless.
> 
> ❖ Cutting off the call, Sendak tells her he wishes her no ill will, but that her words are going to make up for her lack of cooperation, and tells her he'd originally planned to heed Bogh's request to show her some mercy, and drug her first if she hadn't been so stubborn. ' _You can scream as much as you like; you’re thirty feet underground. No-one’s going to find you, not even your precious soulmate._ '
> 
> ❖ Picking up the prototype, Katie is dismayed to watch him turn the timer back an hour to two hours instead of the three he told the police, reminding her about what he told her. He claims its a fair handicap after she sabotaged everything, then leaves her with the ticking timer.


	19. You Fit My Description

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for mentions of Bombs, Death Threats, and Violence, but it think that this might be one fo the few chapters in Katie POV that doesn't need a TL;DR. If anyone thinks it still needs one, please let me know in the comments!

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Time ticked in an unpleasant consistency through the cellar room.

The light on the web camera glowed consistently, and the light of the timer flickered as each second flicked over and over, dropping down with steadiness that was so familiar that her internal estimation on how long it would be before it faded was more unnerving than the falling numbers.

Katie did her best not to look at them, but couldn’t keep her eyes from flicking back and forth to the prototype as she pulled at the ropes, trying to build some slack in them, trying to ignore of the fierce pain in her right wrist.

Each attempt to stretch the cords around her only pulled the part holding her wrists to the post tighter, and she screamed out the pain and frustration with every failed attempt. Aside from the coils holding her to the post, there were the ones just on her wrists to contend with too.

She could hardly move her hands, but she kept trying. She _had_ to keep trying. She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to burn alive. The stench of the komar fluid was cloying in her throat and nose, and the clumps of sludge sliding and sticking to her skin itched, hot and starting to become painful where they had clumped and started to sear through her clothes already.

Each glimpse at the timer felt like an age had passed, or sometimes that less time had passed than she thought, and after an exhausting attempt to pull her hands from the loops holding them up, the latest time shown made her feel sick with fear.

_00:00:39:33_

No, no, it couldn’t have been so long already! Katie knew it had been—she’d watched the clock ticking backwards with her own eyes—but she couldn’t have let so much time go without some kind of progress!

She’d managed to untie herself before Sendak came into the room! How long had it taken her? It had felt like an age, and hardly anytime at all. Was it just harder because of how Sendak had rebound her this time? She didn’t know. It had taken exhaustive effort the first time too.

Frustration spilled from her eyes and she kicked the floor, screaming out again; someone had to be nearby, somewhere. Sendak hadn't wanted her attracting attention! He'd said it right in front of her! It was hard to project through the rag and tape, but she had to try. Someone had to be looking for her. They had to be.

_00:00:27:47_

An hour left. The time read half, but Katie had to add an extra half onto that for the time her attempt at a stopgap would give. she’d just programmed it to jam and reset until the containment unit for the chemicals reached its point of capacity. Then either the metal would melt fromthe internal heat, or it would give out. She'd made a best guess at a timer based on how long it would take for the neutralising agents to run out, but she wasnt going to count on it to be reliable.

She hoped someone was looking. She hoped Sendak was wrong, that whoever had her words was somewhere close by. It was a fool's hope at this point, probably, but she felt like she had as much chance in trusting fate as she had in her own success rate at weakening the ropes. What harm was it to hope for the impossible at this point?

Catching her breath, trying to give herself a break from the pain that had encompassed her wrists where it they were yanked and caught behind her, she almost didn’t hear the crackle of the computer microphone through her own muffled sobs of frustration.

She did see the flicker of light on the screen though; the room was dim with the single bulb of light to brighten it, and it was enough to jerk her head up towards the screen. Flits of code ran across the screen, typed rapidly, followed by several more blue screens, then it blinked onto a home screen. The camera light was flickering on and off, then a note screen popped up.

_00:00:17:14_

It filled the screen and the text that popped up one letter at a time was large, capitalised, emboldened, italicised, and easily visible.

> **_KATIE._ **
> 
> **_THIS IS SERGEANT REGRIS KEATON; I’M A COMPUTER & MEDIA ANALYST FROM MARCHANDA CONSTABULARY. IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THERE ARE TEAMS CURRENTLY SEARCHING FOR YOUR EXACT LOCATION. _ **
> 
> **_WE HAVE TEAMS IN THE AREA AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AUTOMATE THIS MESSAGE._ **
> 
> **_WE ARE CURRENTLY BOOSTING THE LOCAL NETWORK STRENGTH TO TRY AND GET ACCESS TO THE VIDEO FEEDS FROM THE WEBCAM IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT WE CAN PINPOINT YOUR LOCATION FURTHER, AND GIVE OUR TEAMS MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO FIND YOU._ **

Katie blinked at the words, trying not to let them give her too much hope, and trying to feel some relief at the same time; they were looking for her. If they had managed to get into the computer they would be able to isolate it. Maybe. She could only assume Sendak has some kind of digital security else he'd have been caught long before she had the misfortune of being brought into his path.

But still, they hadn’t given up on her. 

_00:00:15:21_

Her attention was drawn from the timer to the screen, and she watched it attentively, just in case there was another message. She didn’t want to miss anything, but she kept shouting. If people were looking for her, then however limited her means were, she needed to try and make it easier if she could.

_00:00:11:09_

Time kept passing, until finally she saw the light on the camera blinking. More type appeared on the computer screen. No, code. Someone was trying to hack into it. Then, the screen filled with the video system, and an image of the police department she’s seen talking to her parents and brother appeared.

On the screen was a middle-aged, broad shouldered, white-haired man with a stocky face. ‘ _...s it working?_ ’ he was asking, then he looked towards the screen, and his eyes grew more alert.

‘ _Katie, my name is Kolivan Rolston; I’m the Superintendent for Marchanda Constabulary,_ ’ he introduced himself quickly. He wasn’t the same guy as before, the one she’d heard talking with her father, who she’d seen briefly on the cameras once before. ‘ _Can you hear me?_ ’

She yelled and nodded.

‘ _Good; I know you’re scared, but we’re already in Naczella, we just have to find the building Sendak’s left you in. Were you able to see the message from Regris?_ ’

Naczella? She couldn’t remember where that was. She didn’t think she’d even heard of it, but the guy on the camera seemed confident, so she hoped it wasn’t false bravado. She nodded again, trying to exaggerate it.

She was so tired. Having someone to talk to was like having a switched flipped on her body. All of a sudden, the aches and exhaustion she’d been ignoring in her desperation had caught up with her.

‘ _Then you know what we’re trying to do; I’m afraid I’m not one for technology terms —_’

‘ _Geez, you think?_ ’ someone else muttered; the voice was tinny, like it was also over an audio feed. The comment was a tiny snap of humour that had been absent for the past however long it had been, and it almost made her laugh. ‘ _Even Keith understood, and he can’t even set up his own interface for anything except KBP and gaming streams..._ ’

‘— _but the ever-so-eloquent Sergeant Keaton has given me an idiots guide that I’m sure you’ll understand better than I do._ ’

He went on to explain what they were doing by hacking the camera, and where they were having problems; indeed, Katie understood the technical hold ups better than the basic explanations informed her of.

After the boost to the local network, getting into the line had evidently easier than before because it hadn't been covered and closed off by a VPN. They were trying to shut down the livestream Sendak had started—a revelation that made her stomach churn, but one she quickly cast aside for thinking about later—and trace the signal itself, but just having the router’s address did not isolate the location to a specific address.

In a city it would have been easier, but the remote location meant the buildings sharing the same network point, so the signal had been traced, but the potential source was spread out over a much wider area, and wasn’t as accurate.

‘ _...I know that doesn’t sound good, but we do know where you are; the investigation team left before Sendak ended his call earlier. You’re in southern Talwarshire, a small village below the Yalmor reserve in the centre of the county, Naczella,_ ’ he explained.

Katie tried to picture Terra’s map in her mind, trying to place herself. After what felt like an age of knowing nothing about where she was or how she’d got there, fourfold even, even just a smile bite of knowing what was going on felt like an encyclopaedia’s worth of knowledge.

‘ _We’re confident we can find you before the stop gap ends, but I want to ask you some questions to try and help the search teams; do you think you can help me with that?_ ’ the man asked gently.

Something about the words sounded off, but she wasn't sure what. She nodded again all the same. She’d do anything to get herself out of this mess, and if the police wanted her help to try and make that happen, then they could have as much of it as she could give them.

‘ _That’s a great help Katie,_ ’ he said. _‘You’re doing fine, and we’ll get you out of there soon. I know it’s hard for you to respond right now so I’m just going to ask you yes or no questions; so just nod or shake your head for me, okay?_ ’

She nodded again, firmly; a verbal attempt at agreement came out anyway, but she made sure to make the head movement clear.

As he’d promised, he only asked her simple questions about the building, mostly about what she could see, what she couldn’t.

Was there a window?

 _No_.

Was there a door?

 _Yes_.

Was it warm?

 _No_. Was it a large room?

 _No_.

Were there any stairs that she could see?

 _Yes_.

She had seen stairs, but not at her current angle, but she had seen them. Yes was as close as she could get to communicating that though. 

The simplicity of the questions was a little frustrating, and after a few minutes of them, Katie’s eyes were already on the camera sitting on the edge of the table. If she could knock it off, she might be able to move it around with her feet and give them a better view of the room but she ran the risk of disrupting the feed.

‘. _..you’re doing great Katie. It might not seem like much, but this really is going to help. I’m going to try some more —_’

_00:00:00:01_

_00:00:00:00_

A large bang echoed somewhere in the building and Katie screamed as it reverberated through the room. It wasn’t the prototype, but something had definitely exploded.

‘ _Katie? Katie?_ ’ Kolivan called out, alarm in his voice as she curled in on herself, hoping to all that was that the roof wasn’t about to cave in or something else equally terrible. ‘ _...something’s happened! We need that building location Regris, before we lose another hour..._ ’

‘ _I’m working on it! I’m not a magician Kolivan!_ ’

The shakes faded, but the renewed fear didn’t, and a glance at the display of the prototype on the floor filed her with renewed dismay. Had it really been two hours already? Had it really been that long? 

Kolivan’s words over the camera hit her too, and with horror, Katie realised that even having the video link hadn’t given them any information on the timer; Sendak had changed it on the prototype, but it mustn’t be showing on the police computers. They thought he’d given them three hours. They had no way to know he’d turned it back by one.

They didn’t know that the first two had already run out.

_Buzz-buzz-buzz._

_00:00:00:00_

_00:00:30:00_

_Buzz-buzz-buzz._

The machine began to buzz and whirr and reset itself, and Katie screamed out, trying to kick the table, knock the camera off the table; she couldn’t tell them there had already been an explosion, or that the timer they had was false, but she could try to show them.

Stretching out her legs, angling and shuffling herself back against the pillar as much as she could, Katie thumped at the edge of the table with her feet, watching the computer shake and the wireless webcam judder across the table top.

‘ _Katie? Katie! I don’t know what you’re doing but please! Try to calm down!_ ’ the superintendent yelled.

Katie ignored him, hooking her feet and ankles against one of the table legs and trying to yank it instead, trying to pull the camera towards the prototype a little more. It was right on the edge of the table now.

‘ _I know you’re scared but, please, try not to panic,_ ’ Kolivan pleaded. ‘ _The teams have already eliminated half the village buildings through physical searches!_ ’ 

He back and arms were screaming again as she twisted herself trying to reach and her legs were straining from the effort of trying to move them so aggressively again, but she had to warn them. She had to help them somehow and nodding and shaking her head wasn’t really helping.

‘ _We’re going to lose the sig —_’

The camera tipped off the edge of the table with a little clatter and a roll. Shuffling around as much as Sendak's ropes would let her, Katie shakily––her legs were trembling from the exertion now––pushed it back upright with her feet, and slowly turned it around in a circle, giving them a view of the room before settling it on the newly ticking timer that had flared to life on the prototype.

There was some commotion on the computer screen, and Katie yelled, banding her feet on the ground next to the prototype. She screamed around the gag as loudly as she could, trying to make any sound that might be similar to the words ‘ _the timer was false!_ ’ echo and mumble out, get their attention, make them understand.

_00:00:24:57_

‘— _Katie, please, I know you’re scared but…_ ’ the man on the screen trailed off, leaning in closer on the screen on his end. ‘ _...twenty-four minutes?_ ’ he mumbled, then his eyes widened. ‘ _Katie, nod for yes again; did Sendak change the timer on the prototype?_ ’

She nodded, as fiercely as she could.

‘ _Has your stop gap already kicked in?_ ’

She choked on the second one, forcing her head to move and trying not to cry again. She was sick of crying, but she couldn’t really help it. She was in pain, scared, and probably going to die; it was an understandable and involuntary reaction to all the stress, danger and panic. She still hated it though.

The policeman was swearing a little and issuing some orders and messages to his team that she didn’t really pay attention to. She’d managed to let them know at least. That meant she had managed to help at least.

As long as there were people still looking for her, she still had a chance. Maybe. Maybe. Just maybe. It was infinitesimal at this point, but it had to be there.

‘ _Katie, can you still hear me?_ ’ the superintendent asked.

Looking back at the computer, and then the camera where it had landed on the floor, Katie nodded.

‘ _We’re passing along what you just told us to the search teams,_ ’ _he said. ‘In the meantime, if you can, I want you to try and move the camera again, so that we can get a picture of the room; do you think you can do that?_ ’

Katie gritted her teeth and looked around; she had planned to do that but it didn’t change the fact that doing so was going to be difficult; she couldn’t shuffle around the pole as easily as before, though her attempts to loosen the ropes had made it slightly more manageable than it had been when Sendak strung her back up again.

Determined to try anyway, she huffed a breath—there was a funny smell in the air—and nodded.

Like before, she had to twist a bit to get to the camera, and wished desperately for the use of her hands as she tried to push the camera around without toppling it over too much. For the first time since she’d lost her trainers, not having any shoes to deal with actually helped. It wasn’t much of a grip, but it gave her some leeway, and she still had to try to find positives where she could.

Somehow, straining as much as she could, and trying to follow Kolivan’s instructions over the computer microphone, she managed to move the camera around in as rough a circle of the room as she could manage. Shifting herself and straining to budge the ropes so she could shift, then pushing the camera along with one side of her feet.

‘ _Katie, stop there! That was fantastic, really,_ ’ he said, his voice encouraging. ‘ _Your father told me you were very determined, and he was right; I think you might get through this on stubbornness alone..._ ’ Katie gave a weak laugh. Her dad had said something like that? That was nice. ‘ _...Regris, what’s that logo on the door? Can you zoom —_’

‘— _Hang on I’m checking the serial number…_ ’

As the two policemen mumbled amongst themselves Katie slumped, tired from the effort of knock in the camera from the table, from moving it around the room, she tried to breathe in, take deep breaths, keep herself calm. 

In, hold for three, and out. In, hold for three, and out. If she kept to a steady rhythm, she could recover faster. 

As she paused, trying to ignore the itch on her skin from the komar liquid, Katie inhaled, and she caught something on the air, a thick, cloying smoky scent that made her start, look around the room in more detail again.

‘ _...it’s a drop door from an old facilities company; the kind you get for beer and delivery drops in cellars. It looks like the only way —wait, Keith’s calling me…_’

Above the computer on the wall was an air vent, fogged with thin tendrils, wisps of slight haze that were just barely visible.

‘ _Patch him through to my line; he needs to hear everything we’ve got._ ’ the superintendent said, his voice tense as Katie’s shoulders as she squinted, and breathed in again, trying to place the scent. _‘Keith; Regris’s signal boost got us into the camera line..._ ’

It was smoke. That sound, it _had_ been an explosion after all! Something was on fire, and it was spreading. Guts churning, she twisted again, trying to reach the camera again; she could hardly see it so she didn’t know if it would show up on the camera yet, but it would.

It was already getting thicker. Not much. But enough for her to know it would eventually fill the room, depriving her of clean air.

‘ **—** _Coordinates? What coordin —_’

Carbon monoxide and soot and smoke were going to consume the space, and she wouldn’t be able to hold her breath for very long. She could very well pass out before anybody found her, whether the prototype exploded or not.

If it did, that was probably a good thing, but if there was a chance she was going to be rescued, then she didn’t really want to be killed by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Her back was starting to hurt from all the twisting, and if her wrist hadn’t been broken before, then it definitely was now. Or at least, it felt like it was. Gritting her teeth and ignoring the tears of pain, she wrenched herself back around a little.

Positioning the camera was the hardest part, because she couldn’t see what it was showing the detectives, she just had to hope that someone on the other end would notice that she was trying to show them something, once they were done talking.

‘ _Keith! Don’t you da —_’ the older man grumbled then reappeared back on the computer screen peering at his own. It took him a few moments to realise the picture had changed. ‘— _Katie, yell if you’re trying to show us something again,_ ’ he said.

She shouted something as affirmative as she could.

‘ _I can see the edge of the table,_ ’ he told her.

It was too close. Shifting and fidgeting, she dragged the camera back a little further—‘ _I can see the computer on the table now,_ ’—before she realised that if she was going to get the top of the wall on the camera, she’d have to push it back from the front.

She couldn’t drag it far enough back; she’d have to keep circling around as far as he could and alternate between dragging the camera, then push or knock it back, and hope that it landed with the camera pointing up. She wouldn’t be able to reach it after that.

But there would be people coming here, she tried to promise herself they would be, so they needed to be warned if the building was on fire. 

Grunting, she moved again, trying to get the camera further and further back, hoping that the superintendent would see the vent first, but all he kept mentioning was the computer. Pausing for a moment, she grumbled to herself in frustration, catching her breath, conscious of the thicker scent in the air.

She could almost taste the smell of burning through the rag in her mouth, and the smoke was drifting into the room more clearly, with defined tendrils that drifted below the ceiling. Repositioning the side of her feet against the camera, Katie knocked it back, carefully trying to gauge how hard to hit it so that it didn’t land facing the wrong way.

By some miracle, the camera itself was pointing at the wall. If she stretched, she might even be able to reach it again. ‘ _...the computer, the desk, the prototype, more wall…_ ’ Kolivan mumbled ‘ _...There’s a vent, a post —_’

Katie yelled, shaking her head.

‘ _The vent?_ ’ he checked.

She yelled again, nodding.

She heard some mumbling—‘ _It’s filling with smoke! The building’s already burning!_ ’—as she slumped again, and looked back at the prototype again; she couldn’t help looking at the thing. She didn’t really want to know how long she had left to live, but she also didn’t not want to know. 

_00:00:19:31_

Her stomach churned as she watched the next second tick away, and she looked back up to the ceiling. She couldn’t do anything else but try to untie herself again. There really wasn’t anything else she could do. How was she supposed to avoid the smoke when she was tied to the post? How was she supposed to hold her breath, _breathe_ , when she was gagged? 

Unless she could move, she wasn’t going to get that one in a million chance. How could she? How was she supposed to keep believing fate hadn’t decided to screw her over? The clock read nineteen—nearly eighteen—minutes now. How was anyone supposed to find her?

Reaching again, she pushed the camera around until it was facing her again; at the very least it made her feel like she was really talking to someone, and looked back at the computer, hoping for something. Something she could do—maybe there was something she couldn’t see on the post she could use to cut the ropes? And edge of shorn metal, a hanging saw? Something, _anything —_or some sort of instruction from Kolivan and Regris.

Another glance up gave her fresh drive to try again to pull herself free; the smoke was a thick blanket above her head, filling the room slowly, from the top down, itching her nose as the smoke began to sink its scent around her. It was a choking scent that churned her stomach.

_00:00:17:56_

‘ _...atie! Katie! Katie! Sweetheart, can you hear me?_ ’

Starting, Katie snapped her head towards the computer screen, then the camera, looking back and forth between them; her dad was on the screen. He looked as sick and pale as she felt, and she yelled out, wanting to at least let him know she could hear him.

‘ _Kolivan is trying to organise the rescue teams,_ ’ he explained in a shaky voice. _‘I know you’re scared but they’re going to make it, and they’re going to get you out of there, but I need you to listen to me sweetheart, to give them as much time as we can. It probably won’t feel like much, but the more time we can give them, the better okay?_

Katie didn't want to think about the probabilities involved in her now unlikely event of rescue. She was too exhausted to think she had a chance anymore, but she didn't want to think she was going to die either, so she just sniffed, trying not to cry, and nodded.

‘ _I’m so, so proud of you for fighting back against_ _all_ _this._ ’

This wasn’t fair. She wanted to keep listening, she wanted to see her family again, but she didn’t want her dad to lie to her––he had to be angry at her for hiding the flaws in the prototype from him––and she didn’t want him to watch her die.

‘ _I promise, when this is all over, you can rest for as long as you need; we can go to the lake house_ _, or you can go to Altea with Romelle and Allura like you were talking about_ _, whatever you want, whatever you need, just keep going, just a little bit more, please,_ ’ he coaxed. ‘ _Katie, you’ve been so brave, and got this far, I know you can do it._ ’

She didn’t feel brave. She just felt desperate, and scared and sick and sore and she wanted it all to be over. But she nodded, not because she felt all those things but because she didn’t want to die, and Sendak was right; her soulmate wasn’t going to save her. 

With shakes in her shoulders as she struggled against the knots, shaking the tears out of her eyes and sobs from her voice, Katie nodded.

_00:00:14:00_

A rumble somewhere made her start, and she looked around the room, half expecting the ceiling to collapse. She felt warmer, but she didn’t know if that was from the smoke, because there was a fire getting closer, or because of all the stress and fear.

‘ _Katie! Katie look at me! Don’t look at the timer, don’t look at the smoke, look at me, I’m right there with you, okay?_ ’ her dad called out, and she stared back at the camera, looking to his face on the computer screen again.

‘ _The teams are looking for a way down to the cellar,_ ’ he said. ‘ _They’re in the building._ ’

He was lying.

 _‘I’m not lying sweetheart, Kolivan’s talking to Keith right now, I can hear him telling him where to go._ ’

Keith. That was the DCI. The guy who’d yelled at Sendak, who’d asked silently if she was okay, who really, by arguing with Sendak all those days and weeks ago, had given her the time she’d needed to pull off everything that she had. 

He was here? Someone was really here? They were really looking for her? She wasn’t just hoping? They really were going to find her?

_00:00:09:00_

A large crash blasted out above her and Katie screamed as the walls and ceiling shook. The dust and soot was a horrible cloying mix, and she coughed as the explosion above stirred the smoke, swirling it around the room.

‘ _Katie, don’t listen to anything you see or hear!_ ’ her father called out. The smoke was hazing over the computer screen but she could still see him. ‘ _I want you to try and get as low to the floor as you can; you need to stay low where the air is cooler and there’s less smoke. Remember your thermodynamics?_ ’

Thermodynamics. Hot air rose. So did smoke. If she was lower, then she would have breathable air for longer. The smoke was swirling already, thickening like an ominous cloud of suffocation above her head, and despite the trial involved, Katie did her best to try and lower herself, and cower away from it.

Katie scraped at the ropes as best she could, trying to pull her hands down so that she could curl upon the floor, or as close to it as she could get. The ropes around her chest and shoulders made that kind of hard though; she could only lean against them in certain angles, and they kept her from being able to tip onto her side the way she would have liked.

She cried out again, panicking as smoke began to drift up her nose, losing sight of the computer screen through the haze. ‘ _Tuck your head into your knees and breathe through your nose Katie, don’t try to breathe through your mouth at all._ ’

Katie didn’t know if her father was relaying that because it was genuine fire safety advice he had been told to give her, or because it was the only option she had, but she did as she was told after a glance at the glowing numbers of the timer through the smoke.

_00:00:07:47_

The air was thick now, and sheltering her face in her knees kept it away a little bit, but it was still getting harder and harder to breathe. Even before the smoke started billowing into the room, the gag had made it harder to breath, more uncomfortable.

Now she felt like she was inhaling dust with every breath. It was like it was coating the air, the heat drying down the back of her throat as she inhaled. She felt like she was going to choke, and sobbed

She didn’t want to choke to death. She didn’t want to burn to death either. She didn’t want to die. Was this really what fate had planned for her? Her words had been a lie this whole time. She’d tried to put her faith in them, for the first time in her life, she’d tried to hope they would help her than be a source of anxiety and discomfort and irritation and everything else that had led to all this.

She’d tried and trusted that idea so much, and what had happened? Nothing. Sendak was right. She was going to die. She couldn’t make it out of this; Fate had cursed her with words she’d never hear, and had long since abandoned her. She was stupid to have thought anything else. 

_00:00:05:21_

She could hear roaring above her, dimly hear her father shouting, calling out to her, trying to reassure her. The smoke was thick around her now and she coughed and spluttered even as she tried to shield herself from it, trying with all the might she had left to pull herself free.

Then, she heard something. Something distant. Something like a snarl, no, a bark. _Barking_. She could hear a dog, and she could hear something clanging, the banging of metal dimly behind her.

A dog wouldn’t go anywhere near a fire of its own accord. Someone was here. Someone had a _dog_ with them, and they were close by.

A tiny spark of hope flaring in her chest, she screamed out, coughing between as much noise as she could make, trying to call out. She had to let them know where she was.

She could hear her dad shouting too, but she was focused on the barking. On the sound of something scraping and searing with a metallic clang above her head.

She kept screaming, trying to provide any direction she could. She didn’t want to die. There was still time. There was still time, they had to hear her. As long as she was still shouting she hadn’t given up. 

She could hear footsteps, hear the sound of metal scraping again, the sear of hinges, and then a wave of air swirled through the room, twisting the smoke around her as fresh air rushed into the cellar as the timer continued to— _beep, beep, beep_ —passing yet more precious seconds away. 

They weren’t going to make it. They were both going to die. With all the last of her strength, she kicked and struggled and yanked at the ropes, trying desperately to free herself. She felt hands grabbing at her, and she panicked.

The choking sensation in her throat from the smoke, the gag, the low lights and inability to see through the smoke conjured her nightmares into the daytime hours; it felt like Sendak, back to stop her from making any last escape attempt again, and she kicked and struggled desperately as he hauled her into his arms.

Her stomach was churning as she was slung against his shoulder. The smoke stung her eyes, she felt like she was going to suffocate. Her lungs were burning, and she was shaking through every movement she made. This was it. It had to be. He was going to drop her back into the fire at the last minute.

_00:00:00:15_

She could hear the dog barking, and almost smell the clean air outside her cellar prison. She had been so close. If she had made it to the door before Sendak came back, she might have been able to escape. 

_00:00:00:00_

Something rang like thunder and heat bloomed behind her, and then they were both falling. Screaming from the fright of fire, Katie curled into the grip holding her—the only solid thing—as she felt a hand at the back of her head, holding her. It felt like the world was spinning and something loud was running in her ears, before finally, the rolling back and forth stopped.

Katie could hear the crunch and crack of rock and glass, smell the dust and smoke and fumes in the air, feel the heat fire behind her, the snap of glass windows imploding under the heat pressure, and then a familiar snarl that wasn’t from the body she had assumed was Sendak come to throw her to her forest death.

A dog barked, angry and vicious, then something shuddered and she dropped out of the strangers hold to the ground. Her head was spinning, and it was hard to focus. The air was clearer though. Not completely, but it was easier to breathe after she spun, landing amongst the scrape and snap of twigs and leaves.

“Kosmo, stay with Katie!” 

Dimly, Katie opened her eyes, trying to work out what she was seeing through the haze of smoke and glare of a gigantic billowing fire, and the dizziness.

The dog was still barking, running over to her, looking back and forth as it stood over her towards two figures gazed out in front of the burning old mansion behind them

“You really are a credit to your profession Mr Hawkins,” Sendak snarled, leaning down towards the smaller figure trapped beneath him, struggling and grappling. “I really thought I’d covered every last trace of our presence, but no matter; I’m glad I stayed. Better to remove your complicating presence from any future plans.”

She was outside. She was outside. It hadn’t been Sendak at all. Someone had made it. Someone had got her out with seconds to spare. Sendak was still here, but whoever he was talking to had saved her skin, and she couldn’t let him kill him.

Still hazed she tried to lift herself up, only to collapse from the spinning. She couldn’t just lie around. She had to do something. She had to help!

Could she throw a rock at Sendak? It wasn’t much but it might distract him. We’re there even any rocks nearby? It was so hard to tell what was happening. She tried to move her hands, but they were still stuck behind her back. It was dark nearly, and everything was still so hazy. The bright flames made her eye dear in pain and the spot made the itchy and irritated.

“Thanks to Bogh,” the man—it sounded like a man—beneath Sendak’s boot gasped. “I didn’t even have to offer him a reduced sentence.” 

Bogh? He knew Bogh? What did he mean? Katie found herself as confused as Sendak, and in that moment the man slammed his fist into the cultists face, knocking him back and grabbing onto his arm.

“Kosmo!” he roared. 

The dog—the biggest Balmeran-shepherd-Altean-husky-mix she had ever seen who Katie now realised had been guarding her—let out a hideous, vicious snarl as he rushed to aid at his master’s command, darting and jumping onto Sendak’s back, claws diving in and sinking his teeth into his arm.

Sendak howled with rage, and the man struck him again, taking something from his hands and hurling it into the flames.

They were consuming everything behind them, swathes of them flaring from the windows and seeping into the trees and undergrowth, the dry plant cracking as they caught alight, billowing smoke everywhere.

She wasn’t sure how it happened—it was hard to breathe again—as she gazed back and forth, trying to lift herself, stay awake, and not succumb to her own exhaustion, but Sendak didn’t stay down very long, throwing off the dog—Kosmo, the man had called him—off of his back with a canine whine of hurt, and the man’s quickly quelled by a thick-fingered hand lifting and slamming his head to the ground, and a foot slammed down on his leg with the same ease that he had used on her wrist only hours before.

Sendak dragged him, lifting him up by the neck towards the flames like a trophy before the smoke descended, hiding them both from view.

No. No. No. 

There was a flash amongst the smoke and Katie could hear screaming, pained agonised screaming and sobs choked in her throat. He was dead. Sendak had killed him and she was going to be next.

“Get up!” Someone shouted.

She couldn’t run. It was so hard to breathe. The smoke was thick. She couldn’t reach the ropes on her legs. She couldn’t free her hands. How was she supposed to run? Was someone talking to her? The voice sounded familiar.

There was a crash inside the building, and Katie screamed, pushing back as far as she could with her feet in the mud, curling upon herself, trying to keep herself as small as possible. She could hear the dog whining anxiously, barking with urgency. It was standing beside her again, his nose nudging at her face. She wished she could give him scratches. At least there was one friendly face around.

Someone’s arms snared around her, tight, and she screamed and thrashed, trying to fight her way out of the grip as the dog barked. She didn’t want Sendak to kill her! She didn’t want to die! Not like this! Not in a fire! Not at all! 

Everything was flashing around her, flickering as she was jolted in Sendak’s grip. Then the trees were gone, and only the sky, dim with the first of the stars breaching through the purple bleed of night time into the sunset and red twinkles of cinders floating above her could be seen.

Stars? 

The person carrying her slumped to the ground; light still stinging her eyes, it was hard to see what was going on, but she could hear something. An alarm noise, like sirens.

She could hear the dog barking, and fumbled, trying to work out what was going on, trying to shield her eyes from the brightness and someone gave a quiet instruction—‘ _Sit and stay Kosmo_ ’. Then the barking was replaced by gentle whines and the rough but gentle lick of a dog’s tongue on her hands. 

Then someone—was it the man from before? Had he survived after all?—took a gentle grip on the back of her head and she felt the tension in the tape around her mouth give way. 

After coughing and spluttering she spat the gag out, her first response as the loops of rope fell away from her arms and legs too was panic. She was still scared, still confused, and even though she realised someone had untied her, everything hurt, ached, and Katie wasn’t sure she had it left in her to trust a stranger again.

“Please don't hurt me!” she choked through her sobs, thumping at the man’s shoulder. “Let me go! Please, please, please don't hurt me! Please…” she begged.

She just wanted to go home. She wanted to see her dad again, catch up on her mother’s work gossip. She wanted to play KBP with Matt, binge watch the good seasons of Monsters and Mana with Romelle. She wanted to meet their baby. 

She wanted to go home.

“You're safe now.”

The three words stilled all but the most involuntary of nervous shakes and sobs from her, and Katie squinted, trying to look around, trying to see the man who was talking to her.

“I’m not going to hurt you Katie, you're going to be okay,” he continued.

He leaned back and Katie felt even more confused as she recognised his face. It was him. The DCI from the stream.

“W-What?” she croaked out, before the single word wracked havoc on her throat, her chest, starting a coughing fit that wracked her chest as he relaxed his grip on her, helping her sit up, take the breaths of clean air she needed. 

“You’re safe now,” he repeated, putting a hand behind her shoulder. “You’re safe now; my name is Keith Hawkins. I’m a DCI from Marchanda Polic—” 

Those were her words.

_Those were her words._

Snivelling, Katie wished she had any other reaction left but to sob into his shoulder and— _finally_ —cling to the human embodiment of safety and hope that had been the only belief that kept her believing she’d ever be free again.

“You’re okay” he mumbled, his voice shaking as relief choked through her and she curled as close as she could, and felt the weight of a fluffy, furry animal beside her. “You’re safe now,” he repeated again. “You’re okay. You’ll be okay...” he mumbled. “You made it, you’re alive, I’ve got you,” he chattered. “You’ll be okay...”

The words helped. The repetition helped her believe it was real. She wasn't imagining or dreaming. Someone was saying her words aloud to her, someone she’d never met, never spoken to. 

Her cries lessened, but she didn’t dare let go of him. He was the only thing safe. The only thing trustworthy, she couldn’t have let go if she’d tried; he shifted, his arms wrapping gently on her shoulders, holding her close, reassuring her with a loose grip that gave her the opportunity to push the comfort away if it was too suffocating. 

He didn’t let go though. He didn’t move away, he didn’t run, he just let her sit and cry and take the moment of peace for what it was, and let the reassurance behind it sink in; he wasn’t going to leave her. She would be okay now.

_She was safe now._

Everything—the pain and fear and panic and homesickness and the dread—was finally over.

* * *

_To Be Continued In_

**Part IV**   
**Dream The Dream All Over**

* * *

FINALLY ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

I know I said that there would be another chapter for this POV and Keith's, but after the edits I've made posting these last few chapters I feel they'll make better sense in the next part of the story, so this is where Part III ends! Thank you so much for sticking with me through this, and for believing in happy endings!

Let me know what you thought of this chapter, but also the series as a whole so far. As I've said before, this is far and away from my usual genre and preferences, and it was a serious personal challenge to write, but while its not the the most popular thing I've ever written (which, honestly, I expected XD ) it's been one of my favourites to write.

Please subscribe to the series alerts and keep an eye out for the next part which will focus on some well-earned recoveries, mental processing, ~~and... you know, Keith and Katie having actual human interaction~~.

Thank you to LuceCiel, whose half a page of head cannons gave birth to this, and Fairia, who had to tolerate my endless screaming while this was being written, and to everyone reading for letting me share this with you, and for supporting it up to now ❤︎

**Author's Note:**

> TL:DR
> 
> -Katie is working in her office talking to her Bodyguard, Bogh as she works on her university thesis. She mentions the component that make zaiforge; Red Syntian Nitrate, Xanthorium, and Heximite.  
> -She talks to Bogh about the lingering frustration and tension between her parents still lingering around her words.  
> –Bogh tries to reassure her that they are just concerned for her welfare, as any parents would be, and encourages her to spend time with them.  
> -A fire alarm goes off.  
> -Before Katie leaves the office, assuming its a prank or unscheduled drill, Bogh slams the door closed, and traps her against it while the alarm is blaring.  
> -He apologises, and tells her that 'Your father needs some motivation' before he drugs her into unconsciousness.
> 
> [SCENE CHANGES]
> 
> –Katie wakes up feeling foggy and confused, thinking she may have passed out at work and is back at her penthouse.  
> -Upon trying to sit up and realises she cant move properly, and is not at home, and panics.  
> -Coming around her memory is still poor; realises she has been tied up and gagged, and is in the back of a hover van, but cant remember past getting to work earlier in the day.  
> -Trying not to panic, she manage to find a patch in the window that hasn't been blacked out with paint, and manoeuvres with some strain to look outside.  
> -She sees the Voltedge building on fire, fireteams, and police walking around.  
> -Keith and Kosmo pass the van before it starts.  
> -Kosmo starts barking when she tries to scream for help, but the van starts, and knocked from her shaky to position with the jolt, she falls unconscious again.


End file.
